One Direction launch Cowell’s web talent hunt

Chart stars One Direction are to launch Simon Cowell’s latest worldwide talent hunt with a live online interview.

Cowell is creating a year-long contest, called The You Generation, in which hopefuls with a range of skills from make-up artists to chefs will audition on video-sharing website YouTube.

The boy band — one of the biggest acts on the media mogul’s books — will mark the launch of the competition tomorrow evening with a live streamed interview just before they take to the stage for their latest sell-out concert.