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NEED TO KNOW
Simon Cowell and his fiancée, Lauren Silverman, welcomed their son Eric in February 2014
He was born on Valentine's Day and is named after Cowell's late father
Eric made an appearance in his dad's new Netflix series, Simon Cowell: The Next Act
Becoming a father changedSimon Cowell's life in the most meaningful way.
TheAmerica's Got Talentjudge and his fiancée,Lauren Silverman, welcomed their son, Eric, in February 2014. Since then, Cowell has spoken openly about how much he loves being a dad.
"After I lost my parents, I genuinely felt ... I would never feel that kind of love for anyone ever again. I thought that was it ... until I saw the scan of [Eric] for the first time," he said during an appearance onThe Kelly Clarkson Showin May 2021.
Cowell continued, "From that moment I saw the scan, I was like 'That is it, I'm besotted.' Now,I cannot imagine my life without him."
Fans of the formerAmerican Idoljudge got a glimpse of Cowell's bond with Eric in hisNetflixseriesSimon Cowell: The Next Act, which premiered Dec. 10.
"The best thing that ever, ever happened in my life was having my son," Cowell said during the show. "It's been so much fun, because I've been able to relive my childhood through Eric."
Here's everything to know about Simon Cowell's son, Eric Philip Cowell.
He was born on Valentine's Day
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Eric was born on Feb. 14, 2014. Simon was instantly in love with his son, saying that while he was nervous about the idea of being a father at first, it clicked right away.
"I was born to be a dad," the TV judge toldExtraa few weeks after Eric's birth.
He is named after his late grandfather
Simon Cowell Instagram
Shortly after his son's arrival, Simon shared that he named his child after his late father, Eric, whom he was close with.
"What he is striving for is to build the same relationship [with his son] over the years," Simon's publicist Max Clifford told PEOPLE at the time. "It's the whole family thing — he got a tremendous amount of comfort from the relationship he had with his mum and dad. They were very, very close."
Clifford continued of Simon, "He wants to recreate the father-son relationship that he got when he was a little one from his dad."
He has a big brother named Adam
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While Eric is Simon's first child, Silverman has a teenage son, Adam, from her previous marriage. Eric and Adam have spent quality time together over the years, includinga 2023 Easter celebrationwith Simon, Silverman and Simon's ex-girlfriend Terri Seymour and her family.
Simon has been open about expanding his family as well, admitting toThe Sunin April 2023, "Just two days ago, I was thinking, 'It would be nice to have another.' "
He also told the outlet, "Being a dad is the best thing that's ever happened to me. I love every second I spend with him."
He gave his father a new perspective on life and work
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Before Eric's birth, Simon said his life was consumed by work — but having a child changed everything.
"If Eric hadn't come along, God knows what would have happened," theAmerica's Got Talentjudge toldThe Sun."Before Eric,my life was 99 percent work. I was obsessed with it."
Simon has also said that Eric gave him something to live for following his dad's death in 1999 and his mother's death in 2015.
"[Fatherhood has] had a huge impact on me," he said during an interview with PEOPLE in May 2025. "I loved my parents so much, and once they left, I was kind of lost for a while, and thenEric kind of saved me, because that love comes back a hundred times more powerful."
He helped Simon "nearly quit" smoking
Speaking toExtrain October 2022, Simon shared that his son was really on his case about giving up smoking.
"He is really strict," Simon told the outlet. "If he catches me, it's like being back in school. He's the teacher."
That close attention was paying off, as Simon explained he was close to kicking his smoking habit.
He explained, "I have to sneak behind the hedges and I'm having my four puffs and I can see him following me around, but I said to him the other day, 'Thanks to you, I've nearly quit.' "
He's a red carpet pro
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Simon and Silverman tend to keep their son out of the spotlight, but he has occasionally appeared on the red carpet to support his dad. In September 2022, heposed with his parentsat theAmerica's Got Talentfinale in a blue polo shirt, jeans and Nike sneakers.
Eric has been coming to his father's shows since he was young and Simon told PEOPLE that he loves seeing his son get "excited" during the live tapings.
"He's a great barometer," Cowell said in September 2023. "I look over to look at him, 'Is he having a good time?' And he was having a really good time when he's up on his seat, excited. [It] is the best thing, because with kids, it's all unfiltered."
Hemade another rare appearanceon red carpet at the taping of theAmerica's Got Talentquarterfinals in September 2024, posing for photos with both of his parents.
He wants to audition forBritain's Got Talentone day
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In August 2023, Simon revealed his son's latest dream:playing drums in a rock bandand auditioning forBritain's Got Talent.
"He's now decided he's going to audition forBritain's Got Talent," Simon toldEntertainment Tonight, adding, "I think he wants to be in a rock band. He loves Green Day."
Simon joked, "That's going to be total torture. I mean, of all the things I've ever done, this will probably be the hardest, because he does play drums. [He's] going to drum and sing! I went, 'Oh God, no.' "
However, a few weeks later, Simon told PEOPLE backstage atAmerica's Got Talentthat he hopes Eric "never" auditions for the show.
"He's a good drummer," he said of Eric's talents. "He really is. Thank God it wasn't violin, it was drums. And he's really good. I mean, he's in time. He's in rhythm. I keep saying to him, 'If you're good, never come on the show.' "
Nearly two years later, Eric's passion for the drums is still going strong. During a March 2025 episode ofBritain's Got Talent,Simon mentioned Eric after watching contestant Cornel Hrisca-Munn, who was born with no arms, play the drums.
"My son has just taken up drums, and he is going to watch this over and over again," Simon said. "That was inspiring."
Read the original article onPeople
