Britain’s Got Talent and X Factor creator Simon Cowell has opened up about discovering therapy for the first time at the age of 63 after his crippling health fears left him too afraid to leave his home.
Simon, who agreed to be the first guest on the Daily Mirror’s Men in Mind podcast, spoke about his health concerns and how things reached breaking point for him during the COVID pandemic.
Speaking about why he eventually decided to reach out to a therapist, he explained: “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. And then I suppose Covid was the real catalyst.”
The ITV favourite went on to open up about being in a constant state of anxiety as his mental health deteriorated.
“In the very, very, very early stages, some friends of mine got really ill and I’m talking about really ill,” he said. ”So, I thought, ‘God, if I catch this, maybe the same thing’s going to happen to me, Eric and Lauren.”
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Simon has been with partner Lauren Silverman since 2013 and the pair share one nine-year-old son named Eric.
Speaking about terrifying reports of the virus at the time, Simon continued: “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.”
Simon’s family stayed in Los Angeles for most of the year, where the star “didn’t see anybody” except for the occasional visitor who would be strictly tested before entering his home.
“I’m just basically in my house, not going out and wearing masks all the time. I’m not exaggerating, I probably was tested about a thousand times,” he said.
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While Simon did catch Covid in the end, he thankfully suffered no ill-effects – but it did get him thinking about his own mental health.
Speaking about how therapy has changed his life for the better, Simon explained: “There’s nothing to be fearful of and no one’s going to look at you or judge you differently.
“I think particularly men, as a kid especially, it was always, ‘don’t cry…be a man. But it’s nothing to be ashamed of and it’s healthy to almost go the other way.
“We’re not all made of steel and there’s going to be times in our lives where you just need somebody to talk to.”
Simon has become such an advocate for his new weekly therapy sessions he immediately agreed to be the first guest on the Daily Mirror’s Men in Mind podcast.
The mini-series, in association with mental health charity Mind, will see some of the country’s biggest male stars open up about their mental health.
Mind’s research found that a quarter of men said that feeling embarrassed was the main reason stopping them from seeking help.
With one in eight men affected by mental health problems in any given year, the podcast’s aim is simple: to encourage more men to open up.
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