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<\/p>\nOlly Murs has praised his former X Factor boss Simon Cowell for opening up about his mental health battle.<\/p>\n
The music mogul, 63 revealed last week how his personal struggles lead him to seek therapy during the pandemic\u00a0as he fretted over the prospect of catching COVID-19 and passing it on to his family.<\/p>\n
Olly, 39, said how Simon’s honestly could held ‘hundreds’ of men in the same situation before admitting to seeking help himself.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He told The Mirror: ‘I think the more you know yourself the better you are. And sometimes speaking to strangers helps. I did it years ago before I did The Voice\u00a0[in 2018]\u00a0and it was incredible for me’.\u00a0<\/p>\n
‘It’s great that someone like Simon is talking about that because he is someone that people look up to like a god. Well for me anyway’.<\/p>\n
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Proud: Olly Murs, 39, has praised his former X Factor boss Simon Cowell for opening up about his mental health battle<\/p>\n
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Candid: The music mogul, 63 revealed last week how his personal struggles lead him to seek therapy during the pandemic as he fretted over the prospect of catching COVID-19\u00a0<\/p>\n
Before adding: ‘For someone like him to talk about it is only going to help other men, and if that can help one person or hundreds of men to talk out more, then that’s great.’\u00a0<\/p>\n
Simon revealed he was in LA and looking ahead to a new series of Britain’s Got Talent when the rapid spread of coronavirus prompted worldwide panic and a series of national lockdowns that would change the way we live for the next two years.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And he admitted to The Mirror his initial terror regarding the respiratory illness would spark a private mental health battle while he remained stranded in southern California with partner Lauren Silverman and their young son Eric.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sobering daily news bulletins highlighting the global death toll, overcrowded hospitals and the devastating impact on life as we know it only intensified his growing panic.<\/p>\n
Cowell eventually did catch the virus and experienced no adverse affects, but the experience made him realise he needed to take steps to improve his mental state as the world slowly returned to normal.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After meeting friends who had benefited from therapy, the father-of-one opted to seek help from a counsellor – an experience he says is akin to ‘taking your brain to the gym.’<\/p>\n
It comes after Simon revealed would like to see his son Eric, nine, take over his position as the head judge on America’s Got Talent.<\/p>\n
However, it appears his child has already set his sights on becoming a superstar singer, rather than the person judging the talent of others.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Amazing:\u00a0Olly said how Simon’s honestly could held ‘hundreds’ of men in the same situation and admitted to seeking help himself (pictured together in 2015)\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Candid: Ollie said: ‘I think the more you know yourself the better you are. And sometimes speaking to strangers helps. I did it years ago before I did The Voice [in 2018] and it was incredible for me’ (pictured on the show in 2020)\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Scary: The star sought help in lockdown after fearing passing COVID-19 to his family (pictured with Eric and his partner Lauren Silverman)<\/p>\n
Speaking exclusively to DailyMail.com, Simon admitted Eric is\u00a0already learning the ropes when it comes to finding entertainers with promise.<\/p>\n
‘Trust me, he is in training,’ the doting dad explained. ‘He sits and watches the shows with me before they go out and I don’t ask him, but I look at his reaction because kids don’t lie.’<\/p>\n
He continued: ‘If they are bored, they are bored and if they are interested in something, they are… And that’s really helped me actually. I hope he does what I do.’<\/p>\n
However, it turns out the young child is far more eager to have his turn in the limelight as Simon added: ‘He has said the dreaded words, “Daddy, can I audition for you? And I’m like, “Oh, No!”‘<\/span><\/p>\n Eric would even be willing to share his success with others as his father revealed that the aspiring singer hopes to become part of a band one day.<\/span><\/p>\n Like father, like son: It comes after Simon revealed would like to see his son Eric, nine, take over his position as the head judge on America’s Got Talent (pictured together in 2018)<\/p>\n ‘He wants to be in a band. He likes Green Day,’ Simon laughed. ‘So, I’m like, “We’ll have this conversation later.” He’s going to do what he wants to do.’<\/span><\/p>\n Simon made it clear that his son wouldn’t ever receive any special treatment should he audition for his father.<\/span><\/p>\n In fact, Eric is guaranteed to receive the same tough criticism that helped Simon become a household name through his time judge talent on TV shows.<\/span><\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/08\/30\/20\/74885475-12462571-Like_father_like_son_Simon_Cowell_would_like_to_see_his_son_Eric-a-30_1693424821719.jpg\")
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