Simon Cowell is loving life as a daddy. But the X Factor judge, who welcomed son Eric with his girlfriend Lauren Silverman in February 2014, said in the early days after the birth he "didn't know what to do" when interacting with his infant son, and he worried that Eric didn't like him.
Speaking during an interview with Good Morning Britain due to air on Thursday, Simon was asked if Eric had changed his life for the better, to which he replied: "Yes because I'm great with puppies, I'm not great with babies, because like a puppy will respond, babies at a certain age don't do anything so when he was about five or six [months old] I was like… I just don't know what to do!
Simon Cowell said his life has changed for the better since becoming a dad
"Because he wasn't reacting to me and I thought maybe he hates me. And they said, 'no, take your time', because once he gets a bit older."
Simon continued: "And then suddenly one day they are talking, listening, responding , and now talking to him, communicating, whole different ball game, and they sort of become a bit like you.
"Which I don't know is a good thing or a bad thing! He's a funny little thing."
Simon has also been giving Louis Tomlinson parenting advice
Not only does Eric sometimes dress like his dad, the 20-month-old has also acquired Simon's taste in music.
"He loves music, and when I say loves it, loves it!" Simon said. "Fortunately one of the first records I got on tape of him playing along to was a One Direction record, so he's got good taste."
The 56-year-old also revealed what advice he gave to One Direction singer Louis Tomlinson after it emerged he is expecting a baby with Briana Jungwirth.
He revealed: "I just said enjoy it. If I had been his age and someone had said you're going to have a baby, I'm not sure how I would have coped with it but he did call me and I said when you've embraced it you'll be amazed how much you are going to love it and it will change your life for the better. And that's it."