Ex-Playboy Simon Cowell Never Wants to Get Married to Partner Lauren Silverman as He Fears It Will 'Trap and Age' Him

Simon Cowell never wants to get married to partner Lauren Silverman as he fears it will trap and age him, insiders claim.

The X Factor creator, 66, has faced weeks of speculation after Silverman briefly appeared online under the name Lauren Michelle Cowell. But according to those close to the couple, the truth behind the rumors is far more complicated.

Cowell and Silverman, 48, who first met more than 20 years ago in Barbados, remain engaged nearly four years after the star proposed. And despite outward calm, sources say the media tycoon is privately resisting the very idea of marriage.

An insider who has known Cowell for years said: "Simon believes getting married at this stage of his life would trap him and age him. He still sees himself as youthful and independent, and the formality of marriage worries him."

The insider added that while Silverman is publicly unfazed, she has been quietly encouraging him to commit. "Lauren is very focused on family and wants the three of them to match names for Eric's sake," a source said, referring to the couple's 11-year-old son. "She's been understanding, but she expected they'd be a bit further on in the process."

Marriage rumors erupted after Silverman deleted her original Instagram account and created a new one under the Cowell surname. But, as another source put it: "Simon and Lauren are still engaged, but there hasn't been any hidden ceremony – the plan is still alive, and a wedding next spring is possible."

A source added: "Lauren legally changed her name for their son Eric, so the whole family would share it. It was something she felt strongly about."

Cowell and Silverman's friendship turned to romance in 2013, the same year Silverman's then-husband, Andrew Silverman, filed for divorce.

The couple welcomed Eric in 2014 before Simon proposed on Christmas Day 2021 in Barbados, with Andrew and Lauren's older son, Adam, now 19, present.

Simon has previously spoken about the difficulty of wedding planning. "I am planning it all, otherwise I know what will happen – there will be 600 people and it'll get out of control, like my 50th birthday party," he said. "No one knows when it's going to be – that'll be a surprise, even for Lauren. I don't want to have one of these ghastly wedding planners and all the arguments that happen, and who you do invite and who you don't invite. The whole thing just seems like too much hassle."

A Netflix documentary, Simon Cowell: The Next Act, arriving in December, will offer a closer look at their home life. "Lauren shows up frequently in the documentary – it highlights just how vital she is to Simon," a production insider said. "She's the person who anchors him."

Simon's family has been increasingly alarmed by his health struggles. He recently pulled out of Britain's Got Talent auditions after falling down stairs, suffering "terrible headaches and migraines."

It followed major back surgery in 2020 after an electric-bike accident. "It was painful, it wasn't great," he recalled. "However, I was so unfit before the accident… things like that, I believe happen for a reason."

He added of Lauren and Eric: "She was amazing. Both she and Eric, they were like my support. I couldn't have gotten through it without them, so we got closer."