Simon Cowell Says He Was ‘Obsessed’ With Work Before 9-Year-Old Son ‘Changed Everything’

Nov 04, 2022 by apost team

Entertainment mogul Simon Cowell is known for being one of the harshest and most critical judges on talent competition reality shows. He's a record executive, television personality and entrepreneur and has also used his platform for the betterment of others, engaging in philanthropic activities over the years. "The X Factor," "Britain's Got Talent," "America's Got Talent" and "American Idol" are some of the most popular shows on Cowell's resume.

Cowell had always been surrounded by musical influences growing up, so it was no surprise when he entered the entertainment industry with a strong focus on the music business. He helped launch the careers of many musical artists and bands, many of which got their big break on his competition shows. The music mogul has played a hand in the business side of his own entertainment company, Syco Entertainment, and has also worked on the production side of many musical releases.

When he is not busy judging others on television or working with various musical artists, Cowell spends time with his family, which is made up of his longtime girlfriend Lauren Silverman and their adorable son Eric, who live together in their family home in Malibu, California. Although the happy couple is seen in a bright light now, the relationship started off with controversy since Lauren was married and Cowell was a close friend of the couple.

These days Cowell is a doting father to his son Eric. Despite the fact that Eric is only 9 years old, he has been a huge support and inspiration to his father.

Cowell’s relationship started off with controversy as both he and his fiance Lauren were in other relationships and began an on-again, off-again affair with one another, as per Good Housekeeping. They came clean about this in 2013 when the American socialite became pregnant with Cowell’s child. The news became a massive scandal as Lauren was still technically married at the time, but her then-husband filed for divorce shortly after.

Amid all the high-profile drama, Lauren gave birth to a healthy baby boy, Eric, on Feb. 14, 2014.

According to Express, the first time Cowell saw his son Eric, he said, "This is the most magical moment of my life." The news outlet also reported that a source close to Cowell revealed, "For once he was so happy he was speechless and he said he choked up completely as he ­cradled little Eric in his arms."

While appearing on “The Kelly Clarkson Show,” Cowell said of his son:

“He's the most amazing thing that ever happened to me. I adore him."

People reported that following his accident in 2020, Cowell was worried about how his son would react to seeing him after surgery:

"I was so embarrassed about coming home looking about 100 (years old) because I couldn't walk, and I have these metal rods in my back and these screws. I said, 'Lauren, I just don't know how to explain it to (Eric).' She obviously said something to him because he came in … and I was lying in bed and he said, 'Daddy, you're like Ironman,' and I thought that was the sweetest thing and it meant a lot."

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Cowell loves his 9-year-old son, and during an interview with The Sun in October 2022, he revealed that becoming a dad taught him how to balance his work and home life. Cowell shared:

“Before Eric, my life was 99% work – I was obsessed with it. I got to that point where everything was about, ‘If you’re not rating against this then you’re a failure’ and I stopped enjoying what I was doing and I was miserable the whole time.”

Cowell said he was so “obsessed with beating the competition that he became “depressed.” However, becoming a father helped him. He explained:

“I was really unhappy. But now Eric is around, I don’t work through the night anymore. If he hadn’t come along, God knows what would have happened.”

Once known for being one of the toughest critics on competition shows, Cowell has certainly changed his ways. “I’m a very different man to the one I was 10 years ago, thank God,” he said.

Cowell endured some hardships, like losing both of his parents and overcoming health struggles. “But Eric changed everything, to be honest,” he said, adding that the love he has for his son is “beyond your love for your parents.” Cowell added, “It almost hurts how much you love them. Then you start thinking, ‘When he grows up, what’s his dad going to have done?’ I think about that a lot.”

While he once struggled with finding a balance between work and home life, Cowell seems to have a good grasp on it now. He explained:

“If you were to ask me now which is more important, my career or my family, then I’d say family, 100%. But when you talk about legacy, you want to believe what you’ve done has been worth it, that’s important too.”

What do you think about Simon Cowell as a dad? Were you moved by his honesty? Let us know, and be sure to pass this along to your family and friends.