Simon Cowell made viewers surprised when he was seen wiping away tears during an X Factor audition. Now, the TV judge has opened up about his emotional reaction which came just after the dea:th of his beloved mother.

Simon Cowell’s mother Julie was 89 when she passed away following a stroke in 2014. Speaking on Loose Women, he said: “I mean it was quite near when it all happened and I think it was the last audition and I wasn’t really expecting what happened.”

The contestant named Josh Daniels had performed Jealous by Labrinth which he dedicated to his best friend who d!ed in a car cr:as:h, aged 18, two years ago in 2013. Josh had no idea that Simon was grieving, but realised that his heartfelt rendition had clearly moved the music mogul.

Simon appeared overwhelmed by the lyrics which deal with lost love, getting up abruptly at the end of the song and handing his microphone back without a word.

Simon went on: “Of course the lyric of the song and it was quite difficult because I thought, ‘God this is going to be really hard to sit through this’. But then you’ve got to think of [the contestant] and it’s his moment but yes it was very emotional.”