American Idol (season 7) American Idol (season 7) The seventh season of "American Idol", the annual reality show and singing competition, began on January 15, 2008 and concluded on May 21, 2008. Ryan Seacrest continued to host the show with Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, and Randy Jackson returning as judges. David Cook was announced the winner of the competition on May 21, 2008, defeating runner-up David Archuleta by a margin of roughly 12 million votes out of over 97 million, which was at that time the highest recorded vote total ever recorded in the show's history. The split was 56% to 44%. The seventh
Peter Jackson (judge) Peter Jackson (judge) Sir Peter Arthur Brian Jackson, PC (born 9 December 1955), styled The Rt Hon Lord Justice Jackson, is an English Appeal Court judge. Previously he was a High Court Judge assigned to the Family Division. Jackson was called to the Bar by the Inner Temple in 1978 and became a Queen's Counsel in 2000. He was subsequently appointed as a Recorder in 1998, a Deputy High Court Judge in 2003 and a High Court Judge with effect from 1 October 2010. Referring to his work as a barrister (not as a judge), Chambers & Partners described Jackson