Rocker Cook is new 'American Idol'

12:53pm Thursday 22nd May 2008

Simon Cowell apologised to David Cook as the 25-year-old rocker beat off David Archuleta to win American Idol.

Right before host Ryan Seacrest announced Cook as the winner, Cowell issued an uncharacteristic apology to the sincere 25-year-old rocker for criticising him during the final performance show.

The judge went so far as to say that the remarks he made the night before to the future Idol winner were "verging on disrespectful".

"When I went back home and watched it, it wasn't quite so clear cut as we called it," he said to the final two.

Cowell congratulated and praised both Cook and runner-up Archuleta, the smiley 17-year-old crooner from Murray, Utah.

Cowell even revealed that "for the first time ever, I don't really care who wins".

Such comments came as a surprise to many after Cowell heaped huge amounts of praise on Archuleta and said he won the competition by a "knockout."

The 48-year-old acerbic judge was very wrong: Cook overcame Archuleta with 12 million more votes.

The finale had a number of top guests.

Perhaps the most notable was a George Michael medley saved for the very end, featuring Michael himself and the top 12 Idol finalists.

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