Shaken Simon Cowell tells how he was rushed to hospital on a stretcher for a brain scan after ‘terrifying’ fall at home — and he’s set to MISS first X Factor live shows
SHAKEN Simon Cowell told of the “terrifying” fall which saw him rushed to hospital for a brain scan.
Our exclusive snap shows the X Factor mogul, 58, being stretchered from his London pad — tied to a spinal board after fainting and plunging down stairs.
He returned home later, but said: “It’s been scary. A shock to the system.”
Stricken Cowell is expected to miss the first of The X Factor’s live shows in the wake of his mystery collapse.
The telly judge, whose girlfriend Lauren Silverman was in New York, was looking after their son Eric, three, when he fainted and tumbled down a steep staircase at his home at 6.45am.
He had woken up in bed feeling dizzy and gone to fetch a glass of warm milk — but lost consciousness and fell backwards on the flight of steps.
He was found by members of his security team after they heard a loud noise and emergency services were called to his £12million West London pad.
Paramedics arrived at the five-bed detached house shortly afterwards, but did not initially move Simon due to fears he may have broken his back.
The 58-year-old was fitted with a red head brace — used by paramedics when they fear a patient has suffered spinal injuries — and attached to a spinal board before being stretchered into an ambulance.
He was then taken to Chelsea and Westminster NHS Hospital where, after being admitted, he was given a CT scan on his brain and MRI scans on his spine, neck and back.
As worried Lauren jetted back to the UK, a source close to Simon said: “It was a truly terrifying accident and could have been a lot worse.
“Simon had woken up and wasn’t feeling right. He was dizzy so went downstairs to fetch some warm milk.
“He fainted when he was climbing back up the stairs to the first floor. His security team heard a loud thump and knew he’d gone down.
“They immediately called emergency services and an ambulance rushed to the house.
“But he couldn’t be moved for some time because he felt a pain in his spine so they were worried there could be some type of much more serious problem like a broken back.
“He’s had every sort of test in hospital and is awaiting the results.”
Simon was discharged on Friday afternoon and returned home. But he was wearing a monitor to keep track of his blood pressure.
He told a friend: “It’s obviously been a scary experience and a real shock to the system.
“But the NHS staff were incredible and gave me unbelievable treatment.”
Horrified Lauren, who was in the US with her son Adam, was woken up at 4am with news of the accident and immediately dashed to the airport to catch a flight to London.
The 40-year-old told friends it had been “an awful morning” and that she is “beyond upset and worried”.
A pal said: “Simon was at his home alone with Eric, apart from his security team and nanny.
“Lauren’s son Adam lives in New York and it was her week to look after him there.
“But she was distraught to be woken up by the news and immediately rushed to the airport to get back home to be with Simon. She is upset and worried.
“Luckily there was a nanny at the house who was able to look after Eric.”
The timing of the accident is disastrous for Simon as The X Factor begins its live shows. He is not expected to appear on screen, but is aiming to return on Sunday if given medical clearance.
Simon arrived home looking dazed and unsteady on his feet — and with his shoelaces untied — at 3.30pm on Friday, seven hours after paramedics had taken him to hospital. He was wearing a blood pressure monitor.
He was driven in the back of a Range Rover flanked by three aides, but stepped out of the back seat unaided and waved at photographers.
Heart is faint risk
MOST causes of fainting are harmless — but it can be linked to heart disease.
About half the population faints at some point.
Loss of consciousness in a faint is due to a fall in blood pressure, which cuts blood flow to the brain.
Low blood sugar is linked to fainting, as is emotional distress. But with heart disease also possible, faints must be taken seriously.
As well as checking Simon for injuries, docs will try to see why he fainted.
- By Carol Cooper, The Sun Doctor
He said: “I’m feeling OK. I fainted. I just had a bit of concussion.”
An onlooker said: “His driver and security were at the door looking really worried.
“There were only two paramedics so they had to help get Simon out of the front door and down the grand steps outside.
“At first you could see Simon’s feet sticking out under a blanket and his arms were folded.
“They laid him down on the drive and covered him properly in a blue blanket.
"Although he was in a full head brace, I could see his face clearly and I believe he was conscious — but I couldn’t be sure.
“Within minutes two cars and a taxi turned up with some more of Simon’s worried-looking staff.
“One climbed into the back of the ambulance with Simon before it then drove off.
“It didn’t have its lights flashing, so he must have been OK. But from the looks on the faces of his aides it must have been extremely serious.
“To be strapped to a spinal board and put in a head brace, it looked like the paramedics weren’t taking any chances with him.”
Mystery illness hit mogul in summer
SIMON was forced to pull out of X Factor auditions in London with a mystery illness this summer.
He also missed his own charity ball in June last year when stricken by flu.
Since his beloved mum Julie died aged 89 in 2015, the music mogul has health tests twice a year to check on his heart, lungs and blood.
In 2012, Simon admitted he was “paralysed with tiredness” and that his “immune system was failing” due to the stress of combining huge TV roles in the UK and the US.
Biographer Tom Bower told in his book Sweet Revenge: The Intimate Life Of Simon Cowell, how doctors warned the star to quit smoking and health supplements — and to give his body a break.