Simon Cowell, 59, could be described as the face of the tv talent competition.
He first established his no-nonsense approach to finding the next big star as a judge on Pop Idol in 2001.
He has since gone on to be a judge on The X Factor and Britain’s Got Talent, and the American TV talent competition shows American Idol, The X Factor and America’s Got Talent.
Despite his unshakeable demeanour, the TV favourite was dealt a devastating blow a couple of years back.
Sometimes we get a reminder that we’re not invincible
Simon Cowell
Speaking to the Sun, the BGT judge revealed he was lucky to survive after fainting and tumbling down stairs at his London home.
He was rushed to hospital in a neck brace and told to rest the day before the X Factor live show was about to start, with Alesha Dixon standing in last-minute.
Cowell said: “Sometimes we get a reminder that we’re not invincible and this was certainly mine. It was a huge shock.
“They think I fainted because I had low blood pressure and so I have got to really take good care of myself to sort that out.”
According to the NHS, low blood pressure happens when a person’s reading dips below 90/60mmHg or less. It does not always cause symptoms, but a person may need treatment if it does.
Fainting and dizziness are common symptoms that the entertainment judge experienced first-hand:
“I’d gone to get some hot milk because I felt ropey. On the way back upstairs, I just remember feeling really dizzy.
“Next thing I know someone was putting a neck brace on me and I had a terrible headache, which must have been from me hitting the stairs.
He added: “I was worried at first that I’d done some real damage.”
Other symptoms may include:
- Feeling sick
- Blurred vision
- Generally feeling weak
- Confusion
As the NHS explained, there are a number of self-tips to ease low blood pressure symptoms.
These include:
- Getting up slowly from sitting to standing
- Taking care when getting out of bed – move slowly from lying to sitting to standing
- Raise the head of the bed by about 15cm (6 inches) with bricks or heavy books
- Eat small, frequent meals – lying down or sitting still for a while after Eating may also help
- Increase the amount of water a person drinks
Cowell heeded the advice to take it slowly following his accident. He sat out the live show and watched it at home with his partner Lauren Silverman, 40, and son Eric.
A source said: “The medics told Simon it would be too quick for him to return to work 48 hours after a serious medical episode.”
According to the NHS: “There are many possible causes of low blood pressure. It may be low because you’re fit and healthy, or you may have inherited it from your parents.
“Some people develop low blood pressure as they get older.”
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