Simon Cowell's brother NICHOLAS has played a prank on the American Idol judge - claiming the music mogul owns a pet poodle called PRANCY.

While Simon's been off filming American Idol in the US, Nicholas - posing as Simon - penned a letter to an English water utility company, complaining about plans to build a sewage system in the countryside where he walks his poodle Prancy.

In the letter, Nicholas pokes fun at Simon's arrogant reputation, saying, "You may be aware I do have my own television show," and warning he'll use "strong connections" to prevent the sewage system from being built near his mother's home in Ovingdean, England.

Simon laughs, "My UK publicist called me and said, 'What's this about you having a dog called Prancy? It's all over the local papers!"