Context: American Idol was based on the British show Pop Idol created by Simon Fuller, which was in turn inspired by the New Zealand television singing competition Popstars. Television producer Nigel Lythgoe saw it in Australia and helped bring it over to Britain. Fuller was inspired by the idea from Popstars of employing a panel of judges to select singers in audition. He then added other elements, such as telephone voting by the viewing public (which at the time was already in use in shows such as the Eurovision Song Contest), the drama of backstories and real-life soap opera unfolding in real time. The show debuted in 2001 in Britain with Lythgoe as showrunner‍—‌the executive producer and production leader‍—‌and Simon Cowell as one of the judges, and was a big success with the viewing public.

Question: What show in New Zealand was the inspiration for the British Series Pop Idol?
Answer: Popstars

Question: Who was the creator of British Series Pop Idol?
Answer: Simon Fuller

Question: What year did Pop Idol make its television debut?
Answer: 2001

Question: Who was a judge on the British series Pop Idol in 2001?
Answer: Simon Cowell

Question: Wha was the executive producer of Pop Idol in 2001?
Answer: Nigel Lythgoe

Question: What show was Pop Idols based on?
Answer: Popstars

Question: Who saw Popstars while in Australia and wanted Britain to have the same thing?
Answer: Nigel Lythgoe

Question: In addition to back stories and drama, what did Fuller add to the show?
Answer: telephone voting

Question: When did Pop Idol premiere in Britain?
Answer: 2001

Question: Who was the executive producer of Pop Idol?
Answer: Lythgoe