Simon Cowell Expecting a Baby With Friend's Wife Lauren Silverman

X Factor judge said recently he likes kids and "would prefer a girl"

By Rebecca Macatee Jul 31, 2013 3:26 PMTags
Simon Cowell, Lauren SilvermanXPOSUREPHOTOS.COM

Simon Cowell is going to be a dad!

The X Factor judge is expecting a baby with New York City socialite Lauren Silverman, a source firms to E! News. But the real kicker? The mom-to-be is still technically married to real-estate mogul Andrew Silverman, who happens to be a friend of Simon's.

An insider tells Us Weekly (who was first to report the baby news) that Lauren, 36, is "around 10 weeks along" in her pregnancy. She and Cowell, 53, reportedly "became close" as her marriage "deteriorated."

"Lauren and Andrew have been unhappy in their marriage for some time, and their divorce has been in the works for a while," adds the source.

This will be the first child for Cowell. And while he might not be the first guy you think of as having paternal instincts, he told the U.K.'s Sunday People in April 2013, "I'd want kids if I knew I could be faithful."

PHOTO: Check out this LOL throwback photo of Simon and his big hair

"I do like kids," he clarified. "I'm not sure I would be good for the first six months or so, but once they knew who I am…"

"I still haven't ruled it out," he added. "Would I adopt? No, I think I would rather have my own, but I wouldn't rule it out."

The dad-to-be also said he "would prefer a girl." Clearly, though, it's too early to tell if he'll get his wish.

If Cowell does have a son, he's already got a track record playing a fatherlike role to the five boys we now know as One Direction.

On Tuesday's Chelsea Lately, he talked about how Harry Styles, Liam Payne, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik were all eliminated on their solo X Factor auditions, but he saw their potential anyway.

"I liked these boys, and I thought let's give them another shot," he said. "And we put them into a band."

And he's already had a taste of kids (OK, young adults) misbehaving. "With these five boys, you can't tell them what to do," he said. "They make all their own decisions."

Maybe that's true, but if they ever act out of line, you can bet Simon will show some tough love!

—Additional reporting by Melanie Bromley