Simon Cowell facts: Britain’s Got Talent judge’s age, girlfriend, children and music career revealed
18 October 2024, 09:51
How old is Simon Cowell, who is his girlfriend Lauren Silverman, what is his relationship like with the One Direction stars, who is his son Eric, and how did his extraordinary career begin?
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Simon Cowell has become one of the most influential music moguls in the country, helping kickstart the careers of One Direction, Little Mix, Susan Boyle and Olly Murs to name a few.
After appearing on Pop Idol as a judge, Simon went on to create and develop hit shows like the X Factor and Britain's Got Talent. Known for his no-nonsense attitude, the TV favourite quickly became a household name and gained a legion of fans across the world.
Following the shock death of Liam Payne aged 31, many fans are keen to know more about Simon Cowell and the bond he shared with the star and his bandmates Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson.
How old is Simon Cowell, who is his girlfriend Lauren Silverman, what is his relationship like with the One Direction stars, who is his son Eric, and how did his career begin?
How old is Simon Cowell?
TV judge Simon was born on the 7th of October 1959 and celebrated his 65th birthday in 2024.
Back in 2015, Simon took a hi-tech DNA test which predicted the age he would die. Speaking about him ageing, the music star told The Mirror: "I had the DNA test done in LA which predicts when you’re going to die.
"They take your blood and DNA, then give you back a sheet of paper which says ‘We think you’re going to be alive until xxxx.'"
He went on to reveal: "Obviously it doesn’t take account of the fact you might get hit by a bus tomorrow, but I got told I’d die aged 95 – which is about as good as you can expect."
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Who is Simon Cowell's girlfriend?
Simon is currently engaged to 47-year-old American socialite Lauren Silverman. The pair began dating in 2013 and welcomed their son in February 2014, with Simon also being step-father to Lauren's son Adam from a previous marriage.
The X Factor star proposed to Lauren in 2022 and looks like he will be planning their nuptials.
Speaking to The Sun about his future wedding, shortly after he got down on one knee, Simon revealed: "I am planning it all, otherwise I know what will happen — there will be 600 people and it’ll get out of control, like my 50th birthday party.
"No one knows when it’s going to be — that’ll be a surprise, even for Lauren.
"But I don’t want to have one of these ghastly wedding planners and all the arguments that happen, and who you do invite and who you don’t invite. The whole thing just seems like too much hassle."
Who is Simon Cowell's son?
Simon is father to Eric who was born on the 14th of February 2014. The young boy is often seen during BGT auditions and even hit the golden buzzer during one iconic audition.
Speaking about how fatherhood has changed his life, Simon told HELLO! in 2024: "Twenty years ago, I would have said I didn't think I was going to have kids because I thought I was too old.
"So when I got the news I was going to be a dad - and the first time I saw his scan - I was literally obsessed. Something changed and I looked at life in a completely different way.
"Every decision I make now I am thinking about Eric. Is it the right decision for him?"
Simon Cowell's career
Simon began his career at EMI Music Publishing, before going on to form E&S Music and then Fanfare Records. He initially began selling exercise videos but reached a new point in his career in 1986 following the release of 'So Macho' by Sinitta.
After this mega hit, Simon went on to continue in the music business, signing acts such as Robson & Jerome, Five and Westlife.
In 2001 he was a judge on the first series of Pop Idol before going on to star on American Idol in 2002.
As his star continued to shine, Simon founded his company Syco in 2005 which was split into Syco Music, Syco TV and Syco Film.
His time on television screens continued to grow with the birth of X Factor in 2004. The show launched the careers of Leona Lewis, JLS, One Direction, Little Mix and Olly Murs as well as many others.
The Australian and American versions of X Factor were created shortly after, with Britain's Got Talent making its screen debut in 2007.
BGT quickly became a cultural phenomenon and allowed acts like Diversity, Susan Boyle, Paul Potts and Sydnie Christmas to showcase their talents.
Simon Cowell's relationship with One Direction
Speaking about his relationship with the One Direction boys, Simon told Billboard back in 2017: "Louis and I, you know, we’ve got this very close bond.
"When we heard about this current record ['Back to You'], I remember calling him and going, ‘Louis, this record is special’ — and I could not be happier."
He went on to add: "Actually, with all the boys, if I’m being honest with you. They’ve worked for this. But yeah, you do feel a little bit like a proud dad when you see all five of them doing well now."
However Simon caused a stir in 2024 when he revealed his biggest regret from managing the band. During an appearance on Diary of a CEO, he stated: "The one thing I regret is I should have kept the name. I should have owned the name."
The music manager continued: "If one of the band members, for whatever reason, say they don’t want to tour, it can stop the others [from] touring. So, if it was me who owned the name, it wouldn’t be a problem."
Simon concluded: "I can be very naive at times, and that was me being very, very naive. So, next time, that will be part of the deal. I have to own the name. They can still make most of the money, but I need to own the name."
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