Simon Cowell has opened up about his famously tough persona as a talent show judge, addressing whether he ever regrets his notoriously blunt approach.

At 66, Cowell is a household name, thanks to his pivotal roles on popular programs like The X Factor, American Idol, and Britain’s Got Talent. Known for his candid and often harsh critiques, he has built a reputation that precedes him.

In a recent interview, Cowell reflected on his career and the reasoning behind his no-nonsense style. He clarified that his approach was driven by a desire not to “bulls**t” contestants or inflate their expectations with false hope.

When asked by Rolling Stone if he ever felt he had overstepped, Cowell admitted, “Look, every one of us is gonna say at one point, God, I shouldn’t have said that.”

However, he defended his directness, explaining, “It’s kinder to be really clear to someone who has zero talent. Do not think that if you carry on doing this, something magical is gonna happen, and you are gonna become the biggest rock star or pop star in the world if you can’t sing.”

Cowell stressed his commitment to honesty, even with his own family. “I’m not going to bull***t these people and give them fake hope,” he said. “If Eric, my son, said, ‘Dad, I want to be a singer,’ and he sang to me and every note was out of tune, I would say, ‘Darling, you can’t sing.’ I wouldn’t lie to him.”

Simon Cowell has revealed whether he ever regrets his brutal talent show judge demeanour (seen on The X Factor)

The music mogul, 66, made a name for himself on shows like The X Factor, American Idol and Britain’s Got Talent where he never held back with his honest and sometimes harsh opinions

Simon shares Eric, 11, with his partner Lauren Silverman.

In the interview he also spoke out on Liam Payne‘s death, revealing their final conversation.

Simon said the late One Direction star visited his home a year before he died in Buenos Aires after falling from a third floor balcony at the Casa Sur Palmero Hotel on October 16, 2024.

Simon, who discovered Liam aged 14 and put him in One Direction on the 2010 series of X Factor, said that the singer was ‘in a really good place’ when he saw him but he still questions if he could have done more to help.

Simon, who is promoting his new Netflix talent show Simon Cowell: The Next Act, admitted ‘you ask yourself that question: ‘Could I have done anything more? What would’ve happened to Liam if he hadn’t been in the band?’.’

But he insisted he doesn’t feel responsible for how Liam’s life played out.

Simon met Liam when he auditioned for X Factor for the very first time at the age of 14.

And upon learning of his death, Simon released a touching tribute to the ‘kind, funny and talented’, pop star, who ‘never forgot the fans’.

Now he has reflected on his career in a new candid interview where he said he acted the way he did as he would never want to ‘bulls**t’ people or give them false hope

He wrote: ‘Liam, I am truly devastated. Heartbroken. And I feel empty. And I want you to know how much love and respect I have for you. Every tear I have shed is a memory of you.

‘This is so difficult to put in words right now. I went outside today, and I thought about so many times we had together.

‘I wanted to let you know what I would always say to the thousands of people who would always 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.

‘I had to tell you when you were 14 that this wasn’t your time. And we both made a promise that we would meet again.

‘A lot of people would have given up. You didn’t. You came back and within months the whole world knew Liam.

‘And you never forgot the fans. I watched you spending so much time with people who had wanted to meet you. You really cared.

In a new interview with Rolling Stone he said: ‘I’m not going to bull***t these people and give them fake hope…’ (seen with his fellow BGT judges)

‘You came to see me last year. Not for a meeting. Just to sit and talk. And we reminisced about all of the fun times we had together.

‘And how proud you were to be a Dad. After you left, I was reminded that you were still the sweet, kind boy I met all of those years ago.’

He continued: ‘I have met your son, Bear. He has your smile and that twinkle in his eyes you have.

Simon was later seen hugging Liam’s parents Geoff and Karen as he sought to comfort them following their son’s funeral.