Marie Claire UK Marie Claire UK
  • Fashion Fashion
      • Fashion
        • View all Fashion
        • Fashion Trends
        • Shopping
        • Watches and Jewellery
        • Fashion News
  • Beauty Beauty
      • Beauty
        • View all Beauty
        • Fragrance
        • Hair
        • Make Up
        • Skincare
        • Nails
        • Marie Claire Beauty Awards
  • Health Health
      • Health
        • View all Health
        • Fitness
        • Nutrition
        • Female Health
        • Wellbeing
  • Life Life
      • Life
        • View all Life
        • Opinions
        • Travel
        • Sustainability
        • Weddings
        • Money & Work
        • Competitions
  • Culture Culture
      • Culture
        • View all Culture
        • TV and Film
        • Celebrity News
        • Books
        • Royal News
  • Vouchers Vouchers
      • Clothing
        • View all Vouchers
        • Mint Velvet
        • Karen Millen
        • H&M
        • nobody's child
        • ASOS
        • ARKET
        • MANGO
      • Designer Clothing
        • View all Vouchers
        • Reiss
        • THE OUTNET
        • SSENSE
        • Mytheresa
        • Liberty London
        • Selfridges
        • Farfetch
      • Accessories
        • View all Vouchers
        • AllSaints
        • Aspinal of London
        • Charles & Keith
        • River Island
        • FitFlop
        • Kate Spade
        • Vagabond
      • Jewellery
        • View all Vouchers
        • Pandora
        • Abbott Lyon
        • Goldsmiths
        • Beaverbrooks
        • Astrid & Miyu
        • Swarovski
        • Angara Jewellery
      • Beauty
        • View all Vouchers
        • Sephora
        • Cult Beauty
        • Space NK
        • Dyson
        • Clarins
        • Look Fantastic
        • Clinique
      • Activewear
        • View all Vouchers
        • Lululemon
        • Gymshark
        • Sweaty Betty
        • Nike
        • adidas
        • New Balance
        • Helly Hansen
  • NEWSLETTER Signup to our newsletter
  • logoCreated with Sketch.
    Marie Claire Newsletter

    Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!


    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

    You are now subscribed

    Your newsletter sign-up was successful


    An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
    Trending
    • Women in Sport 2026
    • Marie Claire Masters
    • Spring Summer 2026
    • Nail Trends 2026
    • Best Investment Bags
    • Best Perfumes
    • Digital Issues
    • Women Who Win
    1. Celebrity News

    Simon Cowell: 'I feel embarrassed and ungentlemanly' about Dannii Minogue affair

    Simon Cowell has spoken for the first time since his affair with Dannii Minogue was revealed

    By Lisa Potter
    Published 19 April 2012 In News

    When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

    Simon Cowell, Dannii Minogue, Simon Cowell and Dannii Minogue, Simon Cowell affair with Dannii Minogue, Simon Cowell book, Simon Cowell biography, Simon Cowell girlfriend, Swet Revenge: The Intimate Life of Simon Cowell, Tom Bower, Tom Bower Simon Cowell
    Simon Cowell, Dannii Minogue, Simon Cowell and Dannii Minogue, Simon Cowell affair with Dannii Minogue, Simon Cowell book, Simon Cowell biography, Simon Cowell girlfriend, Swet Revenge: The Intimate Life of Simon Cowell, Tom Bower, Tom Bower Simon Cowell
    (Image credit: REX)
    • Facebook
    • X
    • Pinterest
    Share this article
    Join the conversation
    Follow us
    Add us as a preferred source on Google
    Subscribe to our newsletter

    Simon Cowell has spoken for the first time since his affair with Dannii Minogue was revealed

    Simon Cowell says he feels 'embarrassed and ungentlemanly' that his affair with Dannii Minogue has been revealed.

    Simon Cowell has spoken for the first time since his affair with Dannii Minogue was sensationally ousted in a new tell-all-book, Sweet Revenge: The Intimate Life of Simon Cowell, by BBC journalist Tom Bower.

    The music mogul said he was 'embarrassed' by the juicy revelations, insisting to TMZ it wasn't his style to 'kiss and tell' but said: 'When you are with someone for a long time, they do get stuff out of you.'

    The X Factor boss explained that he decided to let Bower have personal access to him after listening to friend Bernie Ecclestone, who was also the subject of an unofficial Bower biography.

    You may like
    • Madonna's Confessions II: Madonna performs at TSX Stage in Times Square on June 4, 2026 in New York City. Madonna's Confessions II Deserves to Be the Album of the Summer, But the Response Proves We Still Punish Women for Ageing
    • Cara My Life in London Cara Delevingne on Designing Her First Collection for Topshop and London's Best-Kept Secrets
    • Million Women Rise March In London Why Do We Keep Rolling Out the Red Carpet for Men Found Responsible for Sexual Violence?

    He said: 'If someone is going to write an in-depth book on you, I want him to really understand, you know, how I work... so [he would] have a clear understanding when writing the book.'

    SIMON DID HAVE AN AFFAIR WITH DANNII, SAYS MAX CLIFFORD

    Marie Claire Newsletter

    Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!

    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

    But as the sordid details of his life began to dominate tabloid headlines, Cowell confessed he began to regret letting Bower tail him.

    'What I would say about the book, and I have to say this, is that I've been very embarrassed actually this week,' Cowell confessed.

    'It's not my habit to kiss and tell. I've never done it. I've always tried to keep my private life private, and it is unfortunate.

    What to read next
    • Luke Hersheson My Life In Hair I Spoke to the Super Stylist Behind Victoria Beckham's Iconic Bob—Here Are His Thoughts on Great Hair
    • Milly Goldsmith “I’ve Never Had A Boyfriend”: Milly Goldsmith On Being “Chronically Single”
    • Football and Domestic Abuse: Women’s Aid: “He’s Coming Home” After England's World Cup Defeat, I Couldn't Stop Thinking About This Domestic Abuse Statistic

    'So I was feeling very embarrassed and not gentlemanly at all this week because it's just not my style.

    'At the same time, the guy's got the right to write the book he wants, but it has been uncomfortable to be honest with you.'

    WEIRD CELEBRITY COUPLES

    The 52-year-old added that he was initially unconcerned when he found out a book had been written about him- until he found out Bower had penned it.

    'I must admit when I heard that this unauthorised book was being written about me, on a scale of 1-10 of awfulness, I was kind of like, OK well that is a 4 because there have already been a couple,' Simon said.

    'And then I said 'who's writing it', and they said Tom Bower, and then we reached 10... because this guy, I mean, is not someone you particularly want writing your biography because you know... he has written books about Richard Branson, Bernie Ecclestone who runs Formula 1 - lots and lots of books, and this guy is a digger and he's relentless.'

    Following the interview the music mogul enjoyed a night out in London with ex-girlfriend Jackie St Clair, her partner, II Divo band member Sebastien Izambard and a mystery woman.

    The group, who had begun their evening at an II Divo concert at the Royal Albert Hall, headed to Chinese eaterie Mr Chow before Simon and his mystery date sped off home in his Rolls Royce.

    MORE CELEBRITY NEWS

    Lisa Potter
    Social Links Navigation
    Read more
    Madonna's Confessions II: Madonna performs at TSX Stage in Times Square on June 4, 2026 in New York City.
    Culture Madonna's Confessions II Deserves to Be the Album of the Summer, But the Response Proves We Still Punish Women for Ageing
    Cara My Life in London
    Fashion Cara Delevingne on Designing Her First Collection for Topshop and London's Best-Kept Secrets
     
     
    Million Women Rise March In London
    Life Why Do We Keep Rolling Out the Red Carpet for Men Found Responsible for Sexual Violence?
    Luke Hersheson My Life In Hair
    Hair I Spoke to the Super Stylist Behind Victoria Beckham's Iconic Bob—Here Are His Thoughts on Great Hair
     
     
    Latest in Celebrity News
    Olivia Rodrigo performing on stage in a babydoll dress that sparked online debate, later prompting the singer to speak out about the sexualisation of girlhood and double standards facing young women.
    Celebrity News “We Really Normalise Pedophilia in Our Culture”: What Olivia Rodrigo's Babydoll Dress Backlash Reveals About Girlhood
    Meghan Markle in 'With Love, Meghan'
    Celebrity News Meghan Markle’s Sweet Glimpse Into Sussex Family Life Is Going Viral
     
     
    Anne Hathaway attends the premiere of The Devil Wears Prada 2
    Celebrity News Anne Hathaway Has Spoken Out About Her 10-Year Health Battle
    The Prince and Princess of Wales visit the Isles of Mull and Iona
    Royal News Royal Experts Predict a Major Milestone From Princess Kate This Autumn
     
     
    Latest in News
    New Beauty Products: The Beauty Digest
    Beauty The Beauty Digest: Dyson Does Teeth, Fenty Rips Up the Rulebook (Again) and a Surprisingly Fragrant Week for Dogs
    Jodie Comer
    Shopping Jodie Comer Just Announced the Start of Knee-High Boots Season
     
     
    Kaia Gerber
    Shopping Kaia Gerber Just Wore the ’90s Dress Style That’s as Flattering as It Is Low-Effort
    Oxfam
    Fashion “The Water Used to Produce Britain’s Unworn Clothes Is Enough to Supply 1 Million People for a Lifetime”: Oxfam’s Latest State of Style Report Finds
     
     
    logoCreated with Sketch.
    • Site Archive
    • Contact Future's experts
    • Contact us
    • Terms and conditions
    • Advertise with us
    • Privacy policy
    • Cookies policy
    • About us
    Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google

    Marie Claire UK is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

    © Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.