Simon Cowell, 65, reveals health woe as he makes ITV BGT comeback after delays amid Liam Payne death
Simon Cowell has addressed a long-term health condition he has been suffering with after sharing an update on the new series of Britain’s Got Talent.
The music mogul, 65, has fronted the competition series since it hit screens for the first time in 2007, but recent glimpses into the new series demonstrate his ongoing health woes after fans were previously left concerned when they spotted a worrying feature.
Cowell’s auditions for the annual show were interrupted this year following the tragic death of One Direction star Liam Payne, who found fame under Cowell in the 2010 series of The X Factor.
With the tragedy having occurred in October, Cowell announced auditions for Britain’s Got Talent had been postponed before sharing a lengthy and heartfelt statement where he paid tribute to the 31-year-old father-of-one.
On Tuesday, a snap revealed the TV personality seemed to be looking forward to the new series hitting screens, but also showed he was continuing to suffer from a painful condition he was forced to address last year.
Uploading a picture to his Instagram page, Cowell can be seen alongside fellow judges Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon and Bruno Tonioli.
The four are grinning broadly in the selfie, taken from their iconic judging panel desk.
However, Cowell is sporting coloured glasses in the snap, meaning he is still needing assistance with the painful migraines he was struggling with last year.
The ITV judge told social media followers in 2024 that he needs to wear the red-tinted lenses to aid with the debilitating migraines he gets.
Speaking last year, he explained: “PS this is why I wear these glasses. For anyone concerned, I missed two auditions at the end of one day, two weeks ago, because I do get migraines after long days in the filming lights.”
With the record executive still sporting the eyewear, it seems the health condition has continued to impact him during filming for the show, which is set to air later this year.
Cowell’s stint on the talent show was rumoured to have been coming to an end following Payne’s death, with the TV personality having taken some time off in light of the tragedy.
He released a statement detailing his heartbreak over the shocking incident, recalling his final interaction with the singer.
“You never really know how you feel about someone until a moment like this happens,” he began in a statement shared on social media.
“Liam, I am devastated. Heartbroken. And I feel empty. And I want you to know how much love and respect I have for you. Every tear I had shed is a memory of you.
“This is so difficult to put into words right now. I went outside today, and I thought about so many times we had together.
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“I wanted to let you know what I would always say to the thousands of people who would ask me. What is Liam like? And I would tell them you were kind, funny, sweet, thoughtful, talented, humble, focused.
“And how much you loved music. And how much love you genuinely had for the fans.”
Payne died in Buenos Aires after falling from a hotel balcony. Five have since been charged in connection with his death, with another arrest having been made last week.
Cowell found himself coming under fire in the immediate aftermath of the singer’s death as former X Factor stars touched on the pressures faced by contestants and the “exploitation” of young talent.