Simon Cowell opens up on struggles during X Factor after mum’s death left him ‘in pieces’

Simon Cowell has urged men to open up about their feelings in a new podcast, as he reflected on his own grief from losing his parents, to his struggles during the Covid pandemic, which led to him going into therapy.

Simon Cowell has revealed he was left “in pieces” during an X Factor series after learning his mother had died just a day before the audition rounds.

The music mogul’s mum Julie Brett suffered from a stroke which led to her death in July 2015, aged 89.

Simon cancelled the first show following the news, but put on a brave face and joined Cheryl, Rita Ora and Nick Grimshaw on The X Factor panel just three days later.

Reflecting on the tough time in an interview with The Mirror, the 63-year-old said: “It was really difficult… I’m in pieces but then I’m on TV.

“There were moments afterwards where it was really, really hard. And of all the times in my life, that was the hardest because it was just total finality. My mum and dad had gone and that was it.”

At one point during the series, Simon couldn’t contain his emotions while watching X Factor hopeful Josh Daniel.

The auditionee sang Labrinth’s Jealous in tribute to his late friend, which left the show boss and Cheryl in tears.

When it was his turn to give critique, he was left unable to speak and asked his fellow judges to speak instead.

The head judge was also seen walking away from the set for some alone time minutes later.

Simon later addressed his reaction on Loose Women, telling the panellists how the lyrics of the song made him think of his late mum.

He said: “It was quite near when it all happened and I think it was the last audition and I wasn’t really expecting what happened.