No work calls for me after 6pm… it’s too stressful, says Simon Cowell, 63

As one of the industry’s biggest music moguls, you’d think he’s on the job 24/7.

But Simon Cowell has now stopped taking work calls after 6pm in a bid to take the stress out of his life following his 2020 e-bike horror crash.

The 63-year-old Britain’s Got Talent judge said he has re-prioritized his life in recent years, including cutting back to just two cigarettes a day and reviewing his diet and fitness.

“Reducing the stress in my life is my number one priority right now,” he told Daily Mail’s Weekend Magazine.

‘I’m very lucky to have my job, but it comes with a lot of stress. I try not to bring that stress into our house, so I now have a 6pm closing time, after which I refuse to take calls.

‘In 2019 I really looked at my diet and exercise, and even smoking – I cut it down to two cigarettes a day. It was hard, but I really feel the difference.’

Cowell, who is the father of nine-year-old Eric with partner Lauren Silverman, broke his back after a devastating fall from a bicycle nearly three years ago.

He had to undergo six hours of grueling surgery and metal rods were stabbed in his back after the accident.

Cowell has since changed his outlook and is much nicer to contestants in the new series of the ITV talent show which airs next week.

“As you get older, you look at the shows in a completely different way. When I see kids the same age, I think, “If that was Eric standing there, I’d be very proud,” he said.

“I’ve also reached a point in my life where I’ve started to think about my legacy. My dream would be to hand this show over to Eric and say, “It’s yours now.” That would be great.’

Cowell really gets into the action on the new series, as he’s joined by Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon and Bruno Tonioli, who replaced David Walliams.

He had his head set on fire by a magician during one act and in another he was shot with a crossbow by Tonioli, which he turned into a joke by pretending to be wounded.

“I simply said, ‘Basically, you can do whatever you want with me.’ So they took my word for it and set my head on fire, even though I didn’t know it was happening at the time,” he said.

“But I think that’s supposed to be the future of the show, that it’s unpredictable, silly, funny and emotional — mostly unpredictable.”

Miss Holden, 52, who has been the subject of Ofcom complaints over her revealing outfits on the show, said she won’t be covering up anytime soon.

“My two girls and my husband Chris are often there for my fittings and they never say, ‘You’re showing too much flesh,'” she said.

‘If Simon and Bruno can show their manly breasts, I’m going to show my ‘Amanboobs’.