Sinitta has revealed details of her long-standing on-off romance with Simon Cowell, which she says spanned 40 years. The singer met the music mogul in the 1980s before he signed her to his record label. She went on to have hits with songs such as 'So Macho' and 'Toy Boy', and later appeared alongside Cowell on 'The X Factor'.
Speaking in the 'I'm A Celebrity' jungle, Sinitta told fellow campmates that she and Cowell had dated 'on and off for 40 years'. Their relationship continued until Cowell met his current partner, Lauren Silverman, with whom he shares son Eric. Sinitta is now godmother to their 12-year-old son, while Cowell is godfather to Sinitta's adopted children.
Sinitta admitted that when news broke of Silverman's pregnancy, she described it as 'half miracle, half nightmare' on Twitter. However, she later insisted she holds no grudge, saying: 'It was kind of on and off, on and off, so there was kind of an unspoken understanding that was obviously a misunderstanding on my part.' She added: 'I assumed everything I wanted meant a normal family life with him. And then he met the love of his life and had a child. Silly me.'
Sinitta also revealed that her 2002 marriage to Andy Willner was partly a 'revenge' move aimed at Cowell. She said: 'It was a bit of a revenge move at the time, but it developed into something. But even during that relationship, it was obvious that there was unfinished business with Simon.' She explained that her pride led her to have a 'retaliation relationship' to show she was not desperate.
The singer also spoke about an abortion she had with Cowell in the 1980s, describing it as 'heartbreaking' for both of them. She said Cowell was 'very concerned and by my side' and helped her cope by buying a puppy. Despite the end of their romantic relationship, Sinitta and Cowell remain close friends. Sinitta has since found love with a new partner, whom she met on a dating app last year.
