United Kingdom, Dec. 3 -- Simon Cowell has claimed Ryan Seacrest always had a "massive, massive desire" to be famous.

The pair first worked together when American Idol began in 2002 but after the music mogul left the show in 2010, they've had very little contact, though he knew the Wheel of Fortune host always had grand ambitions.

Asked why he thinks Ryan became so popular in the wake of launching his career as the host of American Idol, Simon told the New York Times newspaper: "I can't really answer that one. He does work hard.

"He was very, very ambitious. I didn't follow his career, so I don't know what he's done. We rarely talk now. He was very steely about his career - wanting to be famous. This massive, massive desire about being...