WANT TO SPEND AN HOUR WITH SYCO? YOU'LL NEED £19K

Sowell donated 60 minutes of his expertise at the sale - which featured leading figures from the business, arts and entertainment world - and he was bought with a winning bid by music mogul Lucian Grainge, chairman of Universal Music.

He was worth more than his pal Sir Philip Green, the retail tycoon, who went for £18,000 at the “Krug Mind Share” bash at auction house Christie’s in London last night.

The price for Cowell’s activity is way above the going rate for his time - he is thought to earn about £30 million each year, which works out at just over £3,400 per hour.

The talent show guru, whose label is tied to Universal’s rival Sony BMG, donated the money he raised to Children’s Hospices for which he was named as a patron last week.

Each of the figures taking part in the auction gave a share of their “mind” - or rather, an hour of their time - to raise money for a charity of their choice.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger went for £11,000 which was paid by Topshop boss, and Spurs fan, Sir Philip.

Others who took part were Net-a-Porter businesswoman Natalie Massenet (£10,200) and Mamma Mia! producer Judy Craymer (£4,000).

The lowest prices were for historian David Starkey (£700) and Booker winning author Sir Salman Rushdie (£650).