Simon Cowell Says He is Proud to Be a Father

After weeks of speculations in tabloids, Simon Cowell, the media mogul and well known talent judge, finally confirmed that he will soon become a father and was "proud" of it .

In July, it was reported that Lauren Silverman,36, and Cowell are expecting a baby. Lauren is Cowell's friend Andrew Silverman's estranged wife. Andrew named Cowell as co-respondent in his divorce petition, alleging adultery. The whole situation turned embarrassing and a public relations nightmare for the 53-year-old Cowell.

This would be the first baby for Cowell and second for Lauren, who already has a child with Andrew. "Things are changing in my life right now, for the better," Cowell told BBC at the premiere of One Direction's documentary, 'This is Us'."I'm proud to be a dad," he said. "It's something I hadn't thought of before, but now I know I feel good about it."

He also said that Lauren was a "very special girl."

Earlier this month it was reported that the Silvermans settled their divorce out-of-court, avoiding all the negative publicity associated with such a scandal. This also saved Cowell from being called in to give evidence about his relationship with Lauren.

At an X Factor press conference in Los Angeles earlier this month, Cowell declined to comment about his fatherhood. "I haven't read the newspapers," he told reporters. "Did I miss anything?" He added: "Unfortunately I have to keep this, for the moment, private. It's just one of those things. Thank you very much anyway. "There (are) a lot of things I will eventually clear up when the time is right, but I really have to be sensitive because there's a lot of people's feelings involved here."