Simon Cowell admits he ‘wasn’t prepared’ for emotional reaction to audition after breaking down in tears

Simon Cowell has opened up about breaking down in tears during a recent X Factor audition, admitting that he ‘wasn’t prepared’ for the reaction.

The head judge, who sadly lost his mother just days before starting auditions, was visibly upset during Josh Daniel’s rendition of Jealous last week.

Speaking about the incident on This Morning, Cowell admitted that it was about the death of his mother, saying:

“Yes it was. I mean it was quite near when it all happened and I think it was the last audition and I wasn't really expecting what happened and of course the lyric of the song and it was quite difficult because I thought, ‘God this is going to be really hard to sit through this.’

"But then you’ve got to think of him and it’s his moment but yes it was very emotional.”

Speaking about his mother, she said: “She was a huge fan of the show, she loved the show which sort of made the decision, ‘when do you go back to work on something like this?’

“Because it’s hard and it really was what I thought she would have said to me which was, ‘No 100% you’ve got to go back to work.’”

Fellow judge Nick Grimshaw added: “It just goes to show how much a song and a performance can move you and I guess that’s why we want to be part of this show because it’s those real moments that make it so exciting and honest.”

Cowell and Fernandez-Versini seemed moved by the wannabe star’s performance last week, with the head judge leaving the arena to compose himself shortly afterwards.