Update!

Simon Cowell Reminds People He Isn't Gay After Recording of 2 Men Discussing His Sexuality Is Played During a Trial in England

"As it happens he isn't, though if he were, he would simply have said so," lawyers for the former American Idol and X Factor judge

By Natalie Finn Jul 23, 2014 12:59 AMTags
Simon Cowell, Lauren SilvermanAKM-GSI

Random alert!

Simon Cowell's sexuality became a hot topic in a U.K. courtroom last week after a recording was played during former U.K. X Factor judge Tulisa's trial on drug charges in which Gareth Varey, Tulisa's manager, is heard claiming that Cowell was gay.

According to reports, another man identified as reporter Mazher Mahmood asks Varey if Cowell is gay and Varey replies, "Yes." Asked how he supposedly knew that, Varey responds, "I know people who have."

Not that there'd be anything wrong with that—but it simply isn't true.

"Simon was referred to during the trial without forewarning, resulting in widespread media coverage of untrue claims regarding his private life," attorneys for Cowell, 54, said in a statement to E! News. "In 2014 the question of whether someone is or is not gay is antiquated. (As it happens he isn't, though if he were, he would simply have said so)."

Anthony Harvey/Getty Images

His legal camp continued: "However, the issue was the false suggestion made by Mr. Varey that Simon—who is renowned for his honesty and candidness—had thus not been truthful in the public arena and this is what we have been obliged to clarify."

Considering Cowell is beloved (and despised, but in a love-to-hate-him way) for his candor, he understandably wanted to put a rumor to rest that implied he had been any less than honest.

The reliably acerbic Brit, meanwhile, became a first-time dad on Valentine's Day, welcoming son Eric with girlfriend Lauren Silverman. And fatherhood seems to agree with Cowell, who has shared some positively adorable pics of his baby boy.

Moreover, the X Factor judge now has, in addition to finally settling down after years of bachelorhood,yet another thing in common with George Clooney.

"Who does it hurt if someone thinks I'm gay?" Clooney told The Advocate in 2012 when asked about the oft-circled rumor that he preferred men to women. "I'll be long dead and there will still be people who say I was gay. I don't give a s--t."

Meanwhile, Tulisa's case was dismissed, with the judge saying that there were grounds to believe that Mahmood had lied during a pretrial hearing.