Simon Cowell admits he has been seeing a therapist for a year after his obsession with ratings ‘started to drive me nuts’ and claims he wishes he’d done so 20 years ago

  • Simon Cowell has opened up about therapy after starting sessions a year ago 
  • ‘It’s nothing to be ashamed of. It’s like exercising your brain,’ he said this week

Simon Cowell has admitted that he started seeing a therapist a year ago as a way of dealing with the stress of his work life. 

The pop mogul, 63, said he wished had done so 20 years ago saying seeking this kind of help was ‘nothing to be ashamed of’. 

He also admitted that his former obsession with TV ratings for his shows had ‘started to drive me nuts’. 

Speaking at the Advertising Week Europe event, the Britain’s Got Talent judge, said: ‘I started to see a therapist a year ago. 

‘I wish I’d done it 20 years ago, because this is a very stressful business.’ 

Simon Cowell is pictured during a Britain’s Got Talent performance

He said: ‘Having an outlet once a week where you can just talk in what I call a safe space and just talk about how you’re feeling and no-one’s judging you… I would say to anybody, just do it. 

READ MORE: Amanda Holden shows off her sartorial prowess in a navy blue top and flared suit trousers as she joins Joe Wicks at Advertising Week Europe

‘It’s nothing to be ashamed of. It’s like exercising your brain, in the same way you exercise your body.’ 

Cowell, who is behind hit ITV show The X Factor, added: ‘I think it was a very American thing years ago, “I’m seeing my therapist” and as Brits we never quite understood that. 

‘But, no, these people are really great people and they’re trained and their job is to make you work out what you think is a problem and they tell you it’s not quite the problem you think it is.’ 

He joked that his therapy sessions would ‘be the best reality show in the world’, adding, ‘the couple’s one in particular, trust me.’ 

Cowell said: ‘Everything’s about perspective. There’s always people who will do better than you and people who may not do as well as you. And you’ve just got to find your balance, where you feel comfortable.’ 

He admitted that his obsession with TV ratings for his shows had not helped his well-being. 

During his career, Cowell saw the audience figures for The X Factor decline as the years went on, after a period of ratings glory. 

The TV star admitted: ‘I used to be obsessed with the ratings. Now, I don’t look at ratings. I just look at what we’re making and if I think it’s good, that is enough for me.’

He added: ‘But I think if you’re driven just by numbers, it will actually drive you, seriously, nuts. And it started to drive me nuts.’ 

Anthony McPartlin,  Alesha Dixon, Amanda Holden, Simon Cowell, Bruno Tonioli and Declan Donnelly are pictured in a promo shot for the 16th season of Britain’s Got Talent 

*Speaking at the same event Claudia Winkleman said she liked to be ‘ramshackle’ and wanted to look ‘repellent’, saying she was 51 and ‘things are falling off’. 

She added she was ‘entirely made of crepe’ and ‘burp when I don’t mean to’.

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