{{Short description|British conservationist, TV presenter, and author (1952–2024)}} {{about|the conservationist|the record executive and reality TV star|Simon Cowell}} {{Use British English|date=July 2022}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2024}} {{Infobox person | image = | image_size = | name = Simon Cowell | honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|MBE}} | birth_name = Simon Maxwell Cowell | birth_date = {{birth date|1952|4|19|df=y}} | birth_place = Epsom, England | death_date = {{death date and age|2024|6|9|1952|4|19|df=y}} | death_place = | alma_mater = Jesus College, Cambridge (PhD) | education = City of London Freemen's School | years_active = 1983–2024 | occupation = Television presenter, conservationist, author | organization = Wildlife Aid Foundation | spouse = {{marriage|Jillian Geraldine Cowell|end=div}} | children = 2 }}
'''Simon Maxwell Cowell''' {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|MBE}} (19 April 1952 – 9 June 2024) was a British conservationist, television presenter, and author best known for hosting the Animal Planet documentary series ''Wildlife SOS'' from 1996 to 2014.<ref name="Metro">{{cite web|url=https://metro.co.uk/2020/06/11/hello-name-simon-cowell-12831487/|title=I'm Simon Cowell – but I can't rocket you to stardom|accessdate=15 July 2022|date=11 June 2020|last=Cowell|first=Simon|work=Metro|archive-date=16 July 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220716011557/https://metro.co.uk/2020/06/11/hello-name-simon-cowell-12831487/|url-status=live}}</ref> He was the founder of Wildlife Aid Foundation, originally titled Wildlife Aid, which is a charitable organization dedicated to the "rescue, rehabilitation, and release of British wildlife".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wildlifeaid.org.uk/about-us|title=Wildlife Aid Foundation <nowiki>|</nowiki> Find Out More From WAF...|accessdate=15 July 2022|website=Wildlifeaid.org.uk|archive-date=15 July 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220715215806/https://www.wildlifeaid.org.uk/about-us|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Early life and education== Cowell was born on 19 April 1952.<ref name="knighthood">{{cite web|title=Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/birthhons_main_11_06_05.pdf|publisher=BBC News|date=11 June 2005|website=news.bbc.co.uk|access-date=16 July 2022|archive-date=12 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180712005954/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/birthhons_main_11_06_05.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Belfast">{{cite web|url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/life/features/wildlife-crusader-simon-cowell-when-i-collapsed-from-executive-burn-out-i-realised-that-i-really-wanted-to-work-with-injured-animals-34993206.html|title=Wildlife crusader Simon Cowell: 'When I collapsed from executive burn-out I realised that I really wanted to work with injured animals'|date=25 August 2016|work=Belfast Telegraph|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220716002336/https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/life/features/wildlife-crusader-simon-cowell-when-i-collapsed-from-executive-burn-out-i-realised-that-i-really-wanted-to-work-with-injured-animals-34993206.html|url-status=live|archive-date=16 July 2022}}</ref> In his early life, he suffered from stuttering, and enjoyed singing. He attended the City of London Freemen's boarding school,<ref>{{cite journal|date=March 2013|title=The Ashtead Link|url=https://issuu.com/oldfrees/docs/link_27|journal=The Ashtead Link – Journal of the Old Freemen's Association|issue=27|pages=12–13, 16–17|access-date=15 July 2022|archive-date=16 July 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220716015605/https://issuu.com/oldfrees/docs/link_27|url-status=live}}</ref> and took part in multiple choirs and school musicals.<ref name="Metro" />
Cowell earned a PhD in biological sciences at Jesus College, Cambridge, and worked as a commodities trader through the 1980s.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Cowell |first=Simon |title=My Wild Life: The Story of a Most Unlikely Animal Rescuer |date=4 August 2016 |publisher=Michael O'Mara |url=https://www.mombooks.com/book/my-wild-life |isbn=978-1782435204 |language=EN |access-date=11 June 2024 |archive-date=29 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230329040448/https://www.mombooks.com/book/my-wild-life/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Belfast" />
==Career== Together with his ex-wife, Jill, Cowell co-founded the Wildlife Aid Foundation animal rescue and rehabilitation centre in 1983,<ref name="Indep" /> several years after setting up a wildlife sanctuary on the grounds of his home.<ref name="Belfast" /> The organisation's activities were the subject of the television series ''Wildlife SOS'', and subsequently a YouTube channel series with entries being released to the present day.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/c/wildlifeaid|title=Wildlife Aid – YouTube (channel)|accessdate=15 July 2022|work=Youtube|archive-date=15 July 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220715172541/https://www.youtube.com/c/wildlifeaid|url-status=live}}</ref>
As part of his efforts as a conservationist and animal-rights activist, he has campaigned for PETA.<ref name="Metro" /> Cowell has been described as a "forthright, witty character" who is "not averse" to profanity. Ricky Gervais once described him as "David Attenborough with Tourette's".<ref name="Belfast" />
He was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2005 Birthday Honours for "services to wildlife".<ref name="Metro" /><ref name="knighthood" /> As an author, Cowell released a memoir entitled ''My Wild Life: The Story of a Most Unlikely Animal Rescuer'' in 2016.<ref name="Belfast" />
==Personal life== Cowell had two daughters with his ex-wife, Jillian Geraldine.<ref name="Belfast" /><ref name="Indep">{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/in-bed-with-susan-de-muth-nights-on-the-wild-side-jill-cowell-1468901.html|date=22 December 1993|accessdate=15 July 2022|work=Independent|last=de Muth|first=Susan|title=On the Wild Side: Jill Cowell|archive-date=16 July 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220716011519/https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/in-bed-with-susan-de-muth-nights-on-the-wild-side-jill-cowell-1468901.html|url-status=live}}</ref> He resided in Leatherhead, Surrey, and Wildlife Aid Foundation was run out of his home.<ref name="LastWish">{{cite web|url=https://www.wildlifeaid.org.uk/simons-last-wish|title=Simon's Last Wish|website=Wildlifeaid.org.uk|access-date=16 July 2022|archive-date=16 July 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220716011520/https://www.wildlifeaid.org.uk/simons-last-wish|url-status=live}}</ref>
===Health and death=== Cowell endured a self-described nervous breakdown in 1994, after which he decided to leave London and dedicate "all his time" to the Wildlife Aid charity.<ref name="Metro" />
In July 2022 it was announced, through his foundation, that Cowell had been diagnosed with an aggressive, terminal form of lung cancer in late June.<ref>{{cite tweet|user=wildlifeaid|number=1547868586185613312|title=Simon Cowell, our founder, has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of lung cancer that is terminal.}}</ref> A donation campaign for his organisation, titled Simon's Last Wish was launched on 15 July<ref name="LastWish" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Harding |first=Nick |date=3 October 2022 |title=Wildlife Conservationist's Dying Wish To Save More Animals |url=https://theethicalist.com/wildlife-conservationist-dying-wish-save-animals/ |access-date=11 June 2024 |language=en-GB |archive-date=11 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240611005108/https://theethicalist.com/wildlife-conservationist-dying-wish-save-animals/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and raised more than £650,000.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.sky.com/story/simon-cowell-wildlife-sos-presenter-and-conservationist-dies-aged-72-13150970|title=Simon Cowell: Wildlife SOS presenter and conservationist dies aged 72|website=Sky News|access-date=11 June 2024|archive-date=11 June 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240611044022/https://news.sky.com/story/simon-cowell-wildlife-sos-presenter-and-conservationist-dies-aged-72-13150970|url-status=live}}</ref>
On 11 May 2024, it was announced that Cowell's cancer had progressed to his vital organs and although he was still undergoing treatment, doctors had given a prognosis of a few weeks. He died of complications from the disease on 9 June, at the age of 72.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wildlifeaid.org.uk/simon-cowell-tribute|title=Simon Cowell MBE|access-date=10 June 2024|archive-date=10 June 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240610155745/https://www.wildlifeaid.org.uk/simon-cowell-tribute|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Panons |first=Jacob |date=11 June 2024 |title=Simon Cowell: TV presenter and conservationist dies |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cw448d53z13o |access-date=2 July 2024 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB |archive-date=20 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240620163054/https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cw448d53z13o |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=10 June 2024 |title=Simon Cowell: Wildlife SOS presenter and conservationist dies aged 72 |url=https://news.sky.com/story/simon-cowell-wildlife-sos-presenter-and-conservationist-dies-aged-72-13150970 |access-date=2 July 2024 |website=Sky News |language=en |archive-date=11 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240611044022/https://news.sky.com/story/simon-cowell-wildlife-sos-presenter-and-conservationist-dies-aged-72-13150970 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Coady-Stemp |first=Emily |date=1 July 2024 |title=Simon Cowell: Wildlife charity requests wildflower seed tributes |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cv2gx3zwgv7o |access-date=2 July 2024 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB |archive-date=1 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240701225920/https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cv2gx3zwgv7o |url-status=live }}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{Official website|http://www.simon-cowell.org.uk}} * {{imdb name|4796798}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cowell, Simon}} Category:1952 births Category:2024 deaths Category:20th-century English people Category:21st-century English memoirists Category:Alumni of Jesus College, Cambridge Category:Deaths from lung cancer in England Category:English conservationists Category:English television presenters Category:Members of the Order of the British Empire Category:People from Leatherhead Category:People educated at City of London Freemen's School Category:People with speech disorders