It was one of the biggest showbiz stories of the year when news broke earlier this week that Simon Cowell would be a father, to the child of the wife of one of his close friends.

Now the soap-worthy story has taken a further twist, with reports suggesting that Cowell had ditched his married lover weeks before he learned of her pregnancy.

According to The Sunday Mirror, Cowell, 53, told a friend: “It’s over with Lauren – it has been since before anyone knew she was pregnant.”

The X Factor boss has ordered lawyers “to do whatever it takes” to prevent secrets of the affair being unravelled in court.

It’s a big scandal for the music mogul, who has previously managed to stay on very good terms with many of his famous exes, and further reports say he feels he has been “done up” in relation to Silverman.

Socialite Silverman, 36, who is ten weeks pregnant with Cowell’s baby, already has a seven-year-old sun with Simon’s friend Andrew, whom she is divorcing.

Happier times - Cowell and Silverman during their brief romance

Now, Lauren’s mother has called for Cowell to do the ‘right thing’ and marry her.

Speaking to The Sun newspaper she said: 'Lauren is not a gold-digger. She came from a very comfortable family and never lacked for anything.

'Her and Simon are very fond of each other. She tells me great things about him and has always spoken very highly of him...

 

"I trust Simon to do the right thing by my daughter.'