It’s a business and like any other, it relies on a customer base.

I’m also a cynic, old shape, and I agree that altruism isn’t Simon Cowell’s driving force when he does things for worthy causes.
It isn’t the first time he has been involved in charity work on a large scale, so I can only respect the fact that he does, no matter what you consider his ulterior motives to be.
He isn’t forced to do anything charitable, but the fact remains that he does and in a bigger way than many other organisations do that could.

So beat it down all you like, all I see is someone at least doing something worthwhile as well as making himself rich in the process.

That’s all I see. It’s easy that.
He probably genuinely gives a lot of his “Hard earned” to charity of his choosing, in his private life. But that won’t jerk the heart strings of the nation.