Simon Cowell wishes he'd had therapy 'sooner'

Virgin Radio

31 Aug 2023, 15:28

Simon Cowell has opened up about his mental health, saying he wishes he had started therapy 20 years earlier.

The X Factor and Britain's Got Talent music mogul revealed he had been suffering from depression and resisted seeking help.

He appeared on The Mirror’s Men in Mind podcast, and Simon now hopes he can help others.

It has also been revealed that his son would love to appear on Britain's Got Talent.

Over the years, Simon had earned a reputation for being Mr Nasty with his sometimes harsh feedback.

Now, he seems to have turned over a new leaf as he talked on the podcast.

He told journalist Tom Bryant: “When I see my friends, the first thing I talk about is how therapy has had this super positive effect on my life.”

“I wish I had done this 10 or 20 years ago... it’s like a weight has lifted off my shoulders.

“I’ve suffered from depression over the years... but that was just something I just thought, ‘Well, that’s my character trait. I get down,’ and it’s something you deal with.”

The pandemic was the catalyst for Simon seeking help, after he became terrified that he would fall gravely ill with the virus.

“I didn’t know what was true or not, I just didn’t have a clue other than I was petrified about catching it. Just petrified,” he said.

“As things started to calm down a bit and it was almost like now I’ve got to go from there back into the real world, how do I feel about that? So, I started to read up about stuff, teach myself.

"Then fortunately I met some friends who had benefited from therapy. And that’s when I thought, ‘You know what? I’ve kind of looked after my body through diet, and exercise, pretty well over the years, but what have I done about my brain and my mind?’”