Sinitta says marriage to ex-husband was ‘a revenge move’ on Simon Cowell – and admits staying friends with his partner Lauren Silverman was ‘self-harm’

by

Sinitta has confessed that she married her ex-husband, Andy Willner, to get back at her former boyfriend, Simon Cowell. She also described continuing a friendship with Cowell’s partner, Lauren Silverman, as emotionally damaging.

The 62-year-old 80s pop star recently revealed a long-held secret during an interview on the Suddenly Single podcast. She openly discussed her decades-long heartache over Simon, the 66-year-old creator of The X Factor.

Sinitta first met Simon in a London nightclub in the early 1980s, when she was a teenager. She later became well-known to viewers of the talent show as a guest judge alongside him.

She always thought they were meant to be, even though their relationship had been rocky and lasted over 20 years.

She explained that she had been hoping to build a life with him. He always told her to be patient and that she’d eventually get everything she desired, which she’d interpreted as a typical family with him. But then he found someone else and had a child, and she realized how naive she’d been.

The singer behind ‘So Macho’ explained that she married businessman Andy in 2002, and later adopted their children, Magdalena and Zac, as a way to respond to Simon’s unwillingness to commit to a relationship.

She admitted that while she initially married him as a way to get back at someone, the relationship surprisingly grew into something real. However, she also confessed that throughout the marriage, she still had unresolved feelings for another man, Simon.

Sinitta is now publicly sharing details about her seven-year marriage for the first time, describing it very directly. She and her ex-husband, Andy – who is now a yoga instructor – divorced in 2009 after he moved to Hong Kong.

She explained that wanting to appear strong and the fact that her relationship with Simon was so public led her to pursue other relationships as a way of showing she’d moved on and wasn’t still hoping for him to come back.

She explained that she’d say something like, ‘If he does that, then I’ll date Brad Pitt, I’ll date a model!’ But she always secretly hoped they’d end up together once they’d both calmed down.

I was always prepared to leave, but my ego made me want to stay and get even – to prove I wasn’t overly eager or needy.

The singer also talked about how difficult it has been to stay friends with Lauren, Simon’s fiancée, who he’s been with since 2013. Maintaining the friendship has been emotionally challenging.

The couple share son Eric, 12, of whom Sinitta is godmother.

Sinitta explained that she and her friend remained close, even working together. However, she believes she hurt herself by suppressing her emotions and pretending everything was okay.

She said finding out Simon – who had always said he didn’t want kids – was going to have a baby with Silverman felt like a major life change, marking the end of a chapter for her.

“I didn’t deal with it very gracefully,” she admitted. “It was always a rollercoaster – sometimes together, sometimes apart. We even had a nickname for ourselves, Tom and Jerry, which felt… fitting, I guess.”

We never really had big fights, but it was a really turbulent emotional experience for both of us.

Sinitta, who had previously shared that she had an abortion while dating Simon in the 1980s, explained that therapy helped her finally understand why she remained so attached to the Britain’s Got Talent judge for years.

Besides my mother, he was the one consistent presence in my life. Even when I was touring and gaining fame, he was always there for me, either in person or on the phone. I felt a real sense of security knowing he was always there.

Growing up constantly on tour with her mother, disco artist Miquel Brown, made her long for a stable home life. She found that stability with Simon and his family, who offered it to her from an early age.

She explained that once she began to understand her own motivations, everything clicked into place. ‘It became clear I’d been avoiding the truth,’ she said. ‘I didn’t want to admit he didn’t feel the same way I did, and I couldn’t bear the thought of accepting that.’

Even after sharing some personal feelings, Sinitta seemed happy and optimistic. She revealed she’s still dating someone in Miami, which goes against recent rumors that they had broken up.

She admitted she still had strong feelings for him. She explained that when you reach a certain point in life, and you’re clear about what you want, finding someone you connect with and genuinely enjoy being around is really special and invigorating.

She explained that a long-distance relationship works well for her right now, especially since she just finished performing in a pantomime in Yorkshire.

Honestly, it’s just… amazing. She says they never get bored of each other, never take each other for granted. She’s been so busy – touring, doing panto, literally anything she wants – but then she has this incredible person in her life too, and it just sounds… perfect. I’m completely obsessed with how happy she seems!

The singer explained that being single helped her realize she no longer needs to change herself to fit what others want. She used to feel like a chameleon, constantly adapting to please her partners, but she’s now learned to be true to herself.

She explained that she had learned to prioritize other people’s needs and desires over her own, often doing things she didn’t enjoy. This allowed her the space to mature, discover herself, and understand what truly mattered to her.

Read More

2026-02-24 17:34