Simon Cowell is talking openly about how being a father has changed his life and “God knows what would have happened” if his son hadn’t come into his life at the time that he did.
In a recent interview with The Sun, Simon sat down for a casual interview going into detail about his 8-year-old son Eric’s impact on his working life, admitting: "Before Eric, my life was 99 per cent work. I was obsessed with it.”
Eric is named after Simon's late father, with who he shared a close relationship before with before his passing.
He said: "After I lost my mum and my dad, you kind of think you're never going to feel that love again — that's it. Then you have kids, and, though I never thought I would feel that way, it's beyond your love for your parents.”
"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."
Before the birth of his son, the 'America's Got Talent' judge said he was "really unhappy."
"Now Eric is around, I don't work through the night anymore. If he hadn't come along, God knows what would have happened. The thought of it — I can't deal with that," he said in the interview, getting emotional.
Simon explained how hard it was for his young son - at the time - to understand his working hours at the height of his fame.
He revealed that he often worked till the early hours of the morning and occasionally that meant until the ridiculous hour of 8 am.
He claimed he was "tearing [his] hair out" as the ratings dropped, but that changed when his son began to notice and question his odd work times.
"When [Eric] was about 2, he finally asked, 'What are you doing in bed at 2 in the afternoon?' And how do you explain, 'These are my hours,' " Cowell said.
"I thought, 'Okay, I've got to switch everything around.'"
Since making the switch Simon revealed that it was crucial to keep up with his son's endless energy: "They're never tired. Ever," he said.
It’s beautiful to hear how much of a positive impact Eric has had on his father and that Simon appreciates his relationship with his son.
