Published Monday, 13 February 2012
Sound recordist John Hagenstede was shooting the latest round of Britain's Got Talent auditions in Edinburgh, Scotland when he found out his partner Lisa Stewart had been taken to hospital to give birth nearly two weeks before her due date.
Hagenstede couldn't find a flight back to England, but Cowell came to the rescue by offering the 44-year-old a ride back home so he wouldn't miss the birth.
He jetted into London's Luton airport with Cowell, and was even treated to a chauffeur ride to the hospital, where he arrived in time to see the birth of his son Jude Berkeley Hagenstede on Sunday.
Hagenstede tells the Daily Express: "There was a car waiting for Simon and the others and another one that he had laid on for me. Simon said: 'Congratulations to you and your girlfriend and I hope it goes well.'
"I just wanted to keep thanking him - I was over the moon... He's such a beautiful child. I thought it was near impossible that I would get to see the birth but I got here with just minutes to spare.
"If it hadn't been for Simon and his plane I would have missed the whole thing."