How Simon Cowell's Son Helped Him Quit A Decades-Long Bad Habit

Simon Cowell is known for his tough demeanor as a former "American Idol" judge and now as one for "America's Got Talent," but he is a big softie when it comes to his son. When news got out that he was expecting his first child with his now-fiancé Lauren Silverman, he beamed with pride. "Things are changing in my life right now for the better. I'm proud to be a dad," he told BBC back in 2013. He admitted that he hadn't thought about fatherhood before, but after Silverman became pregnant, it changed his mindset.

The following February, Cowell and Silverman welcomed their baby boy on Valentine's Day. "Very happy to say Eric was born at 17.45 pm. Healthy and handsome," the "X Factor" creator tweeted. Since then, Cowell has gushed about his son on numerous occasions. During a visit to "The Kelly Clarkson Show," he said he didn't think he could love anyone as much as he loved his late parents until he saw Eric's ultrasound picture. "Now I just cannot imagine my life without him ... I adore him," the "America's Got Talent" judge declared. 

Cowell not only loves his son, but he's inspired by him, as well, and vowed to quit smoking cigarettes in order to lead a healthier lifestyle.

Quitting smoking is hard, but it was easier for Simon Cowell with his little mini-me Eric following him around and putting a cap on his puffs. As reported by The Sun, Cowell's friend Sinitta shared that he was trying to quit smoking and his son only let him have one puff of his cigarette. "[He] always says, 'How many puffs, how many puffs.' Eric's like a little cigarette police and keeps him on his toes. It's very sweet," the pop star stated, adding that Cowell should probably try using nicotine patches.

Cowell revealed to Extra that Eric was "really strict" when it came to his vice. "If he catches me, it's like being back in school. He's the teacher," he joked, adding that he had to sneak behind the bushes to get his allotted puffs. However, he gave his son props for helping him "nearly quit" his bad habit. It seems as if Eric's efforts were not in vain and according to the Mirror, Cowell finally quit smoking. However, he's not completely nicotine-free and admitted to using a vape pen. "I have not had a cigarette in about three or four weeks. I mean it was really, really tough," he added. Cigarettes weren't the only thing Cowell cut out because of Eric. In fact, he stopped eating all the foods he loved after a health scare so he could be around for his son.

Quitting smoking was not an easy feat for Simon Cowell, but cutting out junk food wasn't as difficult. In a 2019 appearance on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," Cowell revealed that after visiting a doctor, he quit eating red meat, gluten, dairy, and sugar. "It was easier than I thought, and part of the reason I did it was because Eric is five this year. I realized if I didn't sort myself out physically, I wouldn't be able to catch up with him," he shared.

Cowell went on a strict vegan diet after taking the doctor's advice and credited his son for helping him stick to it. "It's like the Eric diet because he actually, apart from ice cream, he actually likes water. I mean, who likes water when they're five?" he told Extra. Cowell shared that Eric is a healthy eater and loves raw vegetables. The media mogul has since ditched his vegan diet after his scary bike accident in order to gain weight, per the Mirror. 

As for whether he has truly quit smoking, only time will tell — but with Eric around, it'll be a lot easier for Cowell to remain cigarette-free.