Simon Cowell ‘proud’ of son Eric after raising him just like Prince Archie

Simon Cowell has opened up for the first time about how being a father has impacted his mental health.

The music mogul, 64, spoke candidly about his son Eric, 10, in a rare interview on Steven Bartlett’s A Diary of a CEO podcast, which aired on Monday.

In the moving episode, Simon, who shares his lookalike son with his fiancée, Lauren Silverman, admitted he was in the depths of depression when he found out he was becoming a father.

The X Factor judge revealed his mental health had reached “the lowest possible point” after losing both of his parents. “Before [Eric] I had reached the point where nothing mattered. It all hit me so hard. Being on TV I felt like a clown because I was dying inside. I put on loads of weight,” he said.

Upon finding out his partner was pregnant, Simon recalled: “And it changed everything. It made me happy again, it was perfect.”

How Simon Cowell is raising his son Eric

He might be the most recognised name in the music industry, but Simon is keen to give his son a “normal” upbringing, teaching him a singular, very important life lesson learned from his own mother, Julie.