Simon Cowell may have gained a reputation as a harsh critic during his tenure on American Idol, but the birth of his son, Eric, has definitely softened him — and he’s the first one to admit it.
“After I lost my parents, I genuinely felt … 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,” he said during an appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show in 2022. “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. He’s the most amazing thing that ever happened to me. I adore him.”
Cowell and his now-fiancée Lauren Silverman welcomed Eric, 10, in 2014. Since then, the America’s Got Talent judge has spoken openly about how much he loves his son and being a dad. The two even teamed up to write a children’s book series and share a love of soccer.
Here’s everything to know about Simon Cowell’s son, Eric Philip Cowell.
He was born on Valentine’s Day
Eric was born on Feb. 14, 2014. Simon was instantly in love with his son, saying that while he was nervous about the idea of being a father at first, it clicked right away.
“I was born to be a dad,” the TV judge told Extra a few weeks after Eric’s birth.
He is named after his late grandfather
Shortly after his son’s arrival, Simon shared that he named his child after his late father, Eric, whom he was very close with.
“What he is striving for is to build the same relationship [with his son] over the years,” Simon’s publicist Max Clifford told PEOPLE at the time. “It’s the whole family thing — he got a tremendous amount of comfort from the relationship he had with his mum and dad. They were very, very close.”
Clifford continued of Simon, “He wants to recreate the father-son relationship that he got when he was a little one from his dad.”
He has a big brother named Adam
While Eric is Simon’s first child, Silverman has a teenage son, Adam, from her previous marriage. Adam and Eric have spent quality time together over the years, including a 2023 Easter celebration with Simon, Silverman and Simon’s ex-girlfriend (and good friend) Terri Seymour and her family.
Simon has been open about expanding his family as well, admitting to The Sun in April 2023, “Just two days ago, I was thinking, ‘It would be nice to have another.’ ”
He also told the outlet, “Being a dad is the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I love every second I spend with him.”
He gave his father a new perspective on life and work
Before Eric’s birth, Simon said his life was consumed by work — but having a child changed everything.
“If Eric hadn’t come along, God knows what would have happened,” the America’s Got Talent judge told The Sun. “Before Eric, my life was 99 percent work. I was obsessed with it.”
Simon has also said that Eric gave him something to live for following his mother’s death in 2015.
“When I lost my mum, I was on a downward spiral at that point,” he said during an appearance on The Diary Of A CEO podcast in June 2024. “Without question, [Eric saved me]. I really, really had reached the point where nothing mattered.”
The father-son duo are working on a book series
In 2020, Simon announced that he and Eric were hard at work on a new project: a seven-book series called Wishfits based on imaginary animals the pair had created, including a Dat (dog/cat) and a Peep (pig/sheep).
“To be able to write a series of books with my son Eric has been magical,” Simon wrote on Instagram.
He helped Simon “nearly quit” smoking
Speaking to Extra in 2022, Simon shared that his son was really on his case about giving up smoking.
“He is really strict,” Simon told the outlet. “If he catches me, it’s like being back in school. He’s the teacher.”
That close attention was paying off, as Simon explained he was close to kicking his smoking habit. “I have to sneak behind the hedges and I’m having my four puffs and I can see him following me around, but I said to him the other day, ‘Thanks to you, I’ve nearly quit.’ ”
He’s a red carpet pro
Simon and Silverman tend to keep their son out of the spotlight, but he has occasionally appeared on the red carpet to support his dad. In September 2022, he posed with his parents at the America’s Got Talent finale in a blue polo shirt, jeans and Nike sneakers.
Eric has been coming to his father’s shows since he was young — and Simon told PEOPLE that he loves seeing his son get “excited” during the live tapings.
“He’s a great barometer,” Cowell said in September 2023. “I look over to look at him, ‘Is he having a good time?’ And he was having a really good time when he’s up on his seat, excited. [It] is the best thing, because with kids, it’s all unfiltered.”
Eric is already rubbing elbows with fellow celebrity kids, too. In April 2024, Simon told the U.K.’s Woman magazine that he’s had a playdate with Bear — the son who singer and former X Factor judge Cheryl shares with ex Liam Payne.
“They get on well.” Simon said.
He made another rare appearance on red carpet at the taping of the America’s Got Talent quarterfinals in September 2024, posing for photos with both of his parents.
He wants to audition for Britain’s Got Talent one day
In August 2023, Simon revealed his son’s latest dream: playing drums in a rock band and auditioning for Britain’s Got Talent.
“He’s now decided he’s going to audition for Britain’s Got Talent,” Simon told Entertainment Tonight, adding, “I think he wants to be in a rock band. He loves Green Day.”
Simon joked, “That’s going to be total torture. I mean, of all the things I’ve ever done, this will probably be the hardest, because he does play drums. [He’s] going to drum and sing! I went, ‘Oh God, no.’ ”
However, a few weeks later, Simon told PEOPLE backstage at America’s Got Talent that he hopes Eric “never” auditions for the show. “He’s a good drummer,” he said of Eric’s talents. “He really is. Thank God it wasn’t violin, it was drums. And he’s really good. I mean, he’s in time. He’s in rhythm. I keep saying to him, ‘If you’re good, never come on the show.’ ”
Source: People
