Simon Cowell to be a dad
Simon Cowell is going to become a father for the first time.
According to Us Weekly, the 53-year-old music mogul is expecting a child with his friend Andrew Silverman’s estranged wife, New York socialite Lauren Silverman, who is said to have almost completed her first trimester.
An insider told the magazine: "She’s around 10 weeks along. Lauren and Andrew have been unhappy in their marriage for some time, and their divorce has been in the works for a while.
"As their marriage deteriorated, she and Simon became close."
While Cowell’s camp has not officially confirmed the news, an assistant to Cowell’s representative called the matter "sensitive", telling People: "This is a very sensitive issue and all media enquiries are being dealt with by his US attorney."
The Daily Mail quotes sources close to Cowell as saying that the star is "freaked out", while the New York Daily News confirms that the pregnancy "was not planned".
"The pregnancy has taken him by surprise. He assumed she was using birth control," a source told the New York Daily News.
"Simon thought this was a casual relationship — friends with benefits. The pregnancy was not planned."
However, Cowell is expected to fully support the child – although some sources have indicated that he is gearing up for a potential battle over his estimated £225-million fortune.
The music boss was last linked to Carmen Electra, with whom he went on several dates in 2012, and was previously engaged to make-up artist Mezhgan Hussainy.
His former flames also include pop star Sinitta and Terri Seymour and he has joked he only likes "crazy" women in the past.
Simon used to insist he never wanted kids – once quipping "God, no… I’d go nuts" – but the eternal bachelor’s resolution had softened over time and he was contemplating the idea of fatherhood last year.
The X Factor judge confessed: "I do really, really like kids, because I can talk to them and listen to them. The problem has always been how much time you need to devote to bringing up kids. I’ve always dedicated all my life to work, and at 52, I’ve probably missed the opportunity."
