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How Simon Cowell is training son Eric, 9, to be a showbiz giant – and why he’s set to be even bigger than his £600m dad
THERE'S no shortage of parent-child duos taking the showbiz world by storm - from Beyonce and Blue Ivy to Cindy Crawford and Kaia Berger.
And it looks like Simon Cowell and his nine-year-old son Eric are set to join the fray.
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The music mogul hinted this week that Eric has his eyes set on the entertainment industry and will be auditioning for the next season of his ITV talent show.
Simon, 63, said: "He’s decided that he’s going to audition for Britain’s Got Talent. That is going to be total torture.
"I mean, of all the things I’ve ever done, this will probably be the hardest. I said, because he does play drums, ‘Are you going to drum?’ and he said he wants to sing."
For years Simon has been steadily grooming Eric, who he shares with Lauren Silverman, as the successor to his multi-million-pound empire, and even revealed he's been "training him up".
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He told The Sun in 2018: "I think about that all the time. I would love him to take over. He’s really confident.
"When he comes down here he knows what everybody does. He likes being in the gallery. That will be my dream."
Brand and culture expert Nick Ede believes Eric is right on course to become an even bigger mogul than his dad.
Speaking to The Sun, he says: "Simon Cowell, unlike other celebrities, has not hidden his son from the limelight. Rather, he has put him front and centre of conversations and happy family images.
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"He has also celebrated his son for helping him face his demons and also change his habits in health and other areas. Eric is only nine but this mini-me is already making waves."
On Eric's plans to appear as a contestant, Nick says: "Simon has said that he's ultra-talented already so if he gets the golden buzzer on his own merits and not his father's then we know he's onto a winner.
"Either way Eric Cowell is going to be a superstar in the making and all eyes will be on him as he gets older."
'Passing the reins'
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Simon has made no secret of the fact that he has been teaching Eric the ins and outs of running his mega-successful empire which includes the record company Syco and hit TV shows such as Britain's Got Talent and its American equivalent.
The show also has 68 other versions across the world, making it the most successful TV talent show ever, according to the Guinness Book of Records.
He previously said: "I would really like the idea of teaching him how to run the business. I would like to teach him how to do my job as quickly as possible. I would like to pass the reins to him."
Eric has been getting an up-close look at his future empire - he regularly joins his dad on Britain's Got Talent and often ends up stealing the show.
Simon values Eric's opinions and takes them into consideration when judging on the show.
He once said: "The great thing is when I watch the shows, when they go out, I’m looking at Eric thinking 'does he like something?' And he’s normally right."
Nick says: "With Simon as his father he's been shown the ropes from an early age and the world is his oyster.
"He literally can decide whether he will go in front of the camera or behind and with Simon backing him all the way he's the ultimate nepo baby!"
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Nick also believes Eric is already set for life with his father's slew of business endeavours.
"Simon Cowell's net worth is over £600million which Eric will inherit making him a multi-millionaire," he says.
"He will probably inherit all the intellectual property that Simon has created, making him a power player in the entertainment world not only in the UK but globally."
Eric has already demonstrated how confident he is - at four, he was seen dancing on BGT with his best friend Coco, the daughter of Simon's ex-fiance Terri Seymour.
He's also been seen chatting with his dad's co-stars Amanda Holden and Alesha Dixon.
Future leader
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At such a young age, Eric has already shown that he has the tools to be an influential leader on important issues.
During the auditions for BGT back in January 2022, Simon revealed just how much Eric cares about the environment.
He said: "My son is obsessed with climate change, he’s taught me a lot recently. He goes down on the beaches and cleans them up."
Simon also encouraged the audience to take the issue seriously and said his son had influenced him to switch to a Tesla car.
Nick believes this is an exceptional trait that will catapult Eric up there with some of the biggest names in the world.
"Eric stands the chance to become as powerful as Jeff Bezos," he says. "But because he has a very conscious side and is interested in the environment, he may follow in the footsteps of Patagonia founder who donated his £3 billion fortune to fighting climate change."
The youngster has even been praised by his father for helping him through some of the toughest moments in his life like when his mum Julie passed away in 2015.
As one of the richest men in the entertainment industry, Simon works incredibly hard and credits Eric for helping shape his priorities.
He told the Mirror: "Eric in his own way was my therapy because obviously having him, I had a completely different outlook on life. The minute he arrived, my priorities changed just like that."
Nick believes all these qualities will come together to ensure that Eric exceeds his famous dad's achievements.
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"Even if he doesn’t really know it yet, Eric is a power player who has the ablity to make great changes and also drive his fathers legacy and build brands," he says.
"In terms of success he will be more successful than his father in business and beyond."
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