What Simon Cowell Has Said About His Sexuality

Simon Cowell, Tom Cruise, and George Clooney have much more in common than just being household names. The three are straight stars who keep getting labeled as gay. They've all been subject to speculation and rumors about their sexuality despite all having been, or still being, married or engaged to women. For the main part, the trio has also ignored all of the baseless gossip, preferring to either laugh it off or pay no attention to it. But Cowell has, on occasion, responded to the tittle-tattle.

The British music producer and TV host we all love to hate rose to fame as a caustic and sarcastic judge on "Pop Idol" and "American Idol." Throughout his adult life, he's dated a slew of famous beauties, including a couple of glamour models, pop star Sinitta, and reporter Terri Seymour. However, it was true love forever when Cowell met his now-fiancée, Lauren Silverman, in 2004.

Still, The Independent notes that speculation regarding Cowell's sexuality shifted into high gear in 2014 when he unwittingly found himself at the center of a messy court trial. Tulisa Contostavlos, who was a judge on Cowell's show, "The X Factor," was facing drug charges. During the proceedings, a tape was played of Contostavlos' personal assistant, Gareth Varey, and an undercover Sun on Sunday reporter discussing Cowell's sexuality. Varey purportedly confirmed Cowell is gay, claiming he allegedly knew men who he'd been involved with. So, what was Cowell's comeback?

Rumors about Simon Cowell's sexuality have been rife ever since he popped onto TV in his trademark v-neck white T and waist-high jeans. Even though he usually pays no attention to the speculation, Cowell did feel the need to respond to false reports spawned by Tulisa Contostavlos' 2014 trial.

Cowell's attorneys released a statement shooting down the claims made by Contostavlos' PA, Gareth Varey, during a secret sting operation by the now-defunct Sun on Sunday. Per The Independent, Cowell's legal team said that Varney's allegations had led to "widespread media coverage of untrue claims regarding his private life." They continued, "In 2014, the question of whether someone is or is not gay is antiquated (As it happens, he isn't, though if he were, he would simply have said so)." Cowell's attorneys said they felt obliged to respond because Cowell "is renowned for his honesty and candidness," and Varey's comments made it appear as if Cowell had "not been truthful in the public arena."

Per the BBC, Varey later apologized for the comments he made to Mazher Mahmood, the infamous tabloid sting operator, the "Fake Sheik," who was digging to get dirt on Contostavlos. Varey said he was "clearly very drunk" and had no clue why he'd said Cowell was gay. "This is not true. I do not know why I said it, but assume it is because I was so drunk and felt that I was giving Mahmood the type of information he was seeking," he said.

The music industry isn't renowned for hiding people's sexuality — aside from that of boy band members and teen heartthrobs, of which, let's face it, Simon Cowell is neither — so there'd really be no reason for him to hide in the closet. Still, the gossip persists. But Simon just turns the other cheek and looks forward to his upcoming wedding instead.

Simon proposed to Lauren Silverman on Christmas Eve 2021 in Barbados, where they first met. Simon and Silverman share a son, Eric Cowell, who is 9 years old. Speculation is rife about when their big day will be, and the couple keeps everyone guessing. "I like to make everything spontaneous, and doing that will make it a lot more fun," Simon told The Sun ."I don't think we'll be getting married in Las Vegas, but whatever we do will definitely be fun."

Meanwhile, according to "Today," becoming a dad has made Simon a "big softie." Tell that to "America's Got Talent" contestants. He admitted to initially struggling with a baby, as he'd only ever dealt with puppies. But everything just clicked with Eric one day. "Then they become part of you," he said. Simon shared that Eric visits the set when he's working and admitted to grooming him to take over the biz one day. Simon is also passing on his sense of dress and lifestyle. "He sits in my jag," he said, confirming that Eric's already wearing little v-necks and sunglasses.