"I thought that was it … until I saw the scan of him for the first time," Simon Cowell said.
Simon Cowell never thought he would be a family man as work always would come first for the 63-year-old. He is the man behind so many people's careers after all. Cowell discovered some of the world's best musical acts, like Leona Lewis, One Direction, Fifth Harmony, and Little Mix. He's also known for being an incredibly popular judge on TV talent shows like Pop Idol, American Idol, America's Got Talent and The X Factor.
Working overtime on groundbreaking ideas and putting his career before family might have earned all his shows top ratings but Cowell felt invested way more energy into his career than he should have, per PEOPLE. The TV personality went on to explain his working hours at the height of his fame, claiming that he often worked till 4, 6, and occasionally 8 a.m. "I was really unhappy," he confessed. "Before Eric, my life was 99 percent work. I was obsessed with it," Simon admitted. "Now Eric is around, I don't work through the night anymore. If he hadn't come along, God knows what would have happened. I can't deal with the thought of it."
The producer also confessed that he didn't think he could ever love again, especially after suffering the loss of his parents. He wasn't sure if he could even be a family man. But that all changed with the birth of his son. According to PEOPLE, while appearing on The Kelly Clarkson Show in 2021 the host Kelly Clarkson (who was the first-ever winner of American Idol, for which Cowell was a judge) told him, "I think the vulnerable little side of you came out when you had a kid." "Maybe," Cowell replied. "After I lost my parents, I genuinely felt, Kelly, I would never feel that kind of love for anyone ever again. I thought that was it … until I saw the scan of him for the first time."
I never knew how much love and pride I would feel. pic.twitter.com/bjwhJvrFBd
— Simon Cowell (@SimonCowell) February 16, 2014
The X-Factor creator jokingly said he called his unborn child "Tad" because he looked like "a little tadpole." "From that moment I saw the scan, I was like 'That is it, I'm besotted.' Now I just cannot imagine my life without him," the America’s Got Talent judge said of his now 8-year-old son, adding "He's the most amazing thing that ever happened to me. I adore him."
Back in 2022 he also told ET that his son was one of the reasons he got engaged to longtime love, Lauren Silverman. “One hundred percent he had to coach me,” the 63-year-old shared. “And we planned it. He was a big part of it.”
References:
https://people.com/parents/simon-cowell-says-parenthood-brought-out-his-softer-side/
https://people.com/parents/simon-cowell-says-son-eric-helped-him-find-balance-with-work/
Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by David Livingston
