‘The X Factor’ head honcho Simon Cowell has spoken about the accident that kept him from attending the first live show of the series last week, revealing that he had initially feared that he had broken his neck.

The 58 year old fell down the stairs at his London home back on October 27th, and was taken to hospital as a precaution before returning home some hours later. However, at first, Cowell was genuinely concerned that he had suffered a serious and potentially life-changing injury, caused by what doctors thought was him “fainting” due to “low blood pressure”.

“I was lying on my back thinking, ‘I hope I haven’t broken my neck’,” he told The Sun newspaper on Tuesday night (November 7th). “But the NHS staff were the most amazing people I’ve ever met, genuinely. Fortunately it was all fine.”

Simon CowellSimon Cowell feared he had broken his neck following the scary accident

The accident caused Cowell to miss the first of ‘The X Factor’s live annual shows this winter, where he was replaced for one week by Alesha Dixon. He returned in time for last weekend’s Viva Latino edition.

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The Syco label boss, who has been an ever-present on the judging panel of ‘The X Factor’ since its inception in 2004 bar three years from 2011 to 2013, also said that he hasn’t yet told his three year old son, Eric, about the accident.

“He probably would have told me off, and I didn't want to worry him,” he told reporters at the Music Industry Trust award night for Sony boss Rob Stringer at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel.

“It does make you realise what’s truly important in life,” Cowell reflected about what his outlook on life is after the accident.

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