Simon Cowell’s “The X Factor” drew 19.1 million viewers to its peak hour, or nearly one-third of Britain’s population, in its Sunday night finale, a record for the singing competition show, The New York Times reports.

Cowell, who is in negotiations with Fox for a new contract for “American Idol,” on which he is a judge, owns “The X Factor” and also appears on it. He is negotiating to be able to bring “The X Factor” to the U.S., something that was prohibited by his previous “American Idol” contract.

–Elizabeth Jensen