Simon Cowell wanted to live in hotels
Simon Cowell The music mogul spent 18 months staying in a Mandarin Oriental hotel – a chain which is known for its luxurious resorts – and admits he contemplated never moving back home until he realised he was bored of their menus.
He said: "I like hotel rooms. It's easy. Clean. I lived in the Mandarin Oriental for a year and a half and I thought I'd never ever live in a house again.
“And then one day you can't eat from the room service menu anymore and that's it."
The 50-year-old star – who currently lives with his make-up artist fiancee Mezhgan Hussainy – also claimed that despite his multi-million pound fortune, he still leads a simple life.
He explained: "If you look in my kitchen you'll find jelly beans and baked beans, nothing fancy. I like 'Jaws' and 'Star Wars' rather than some Polish film with subtitles.
“A lot of the so-called great music of the world has bypassed me as well. I've just stuck to my guns. If I like it, there's a good chance other people will like it as well."
The TV talent show judge – who also owns his own TV production company and music publishing house Syco – admitted he was driven to succeed by his childhood neighbour, former Warner Bros. UK head Gerry Blatner.
He explained to Radio Times magazine: "As a kid, I would look over the fence at this great house and see everyone – Robert Mitchum, Elizabeth Taylor, all these great actors having the time of their lives. I remember thinking from a very, very early age, 'God, I hope I grow up and have a nice house so I can have parties like that.' "