Simon Cowell Makes Heartbreaking Confession

Simon Cowell is finally admitting what millions of viewers were thinking during Susan Boyle’s unforgettable Britain’s Got Talent audition — the judges looked “awful” and “horrible” for the way they reacted to her before she even sang.

The music mogul, now 66, reflected on the now-iconic 2009 moment during the debut episode of Celebrity Trenches with Jamie East, confessing that he, Amanda Holden and Piers Morgan completely misjudged the Scottish singer the second she walked onto the stage.

And according to Simon, the footage still makes him cringe.

Susan Boyle shocked the world when she appeared on Britain’s Got Talent looking shy, awkward and completely unlike a typical pop star. Audience members laughed, the judges exchanged skeptical looks, and expectations couldn’t have been lower.

Then she opened her mouth and delivered a jaw-dropping performance of I Dreamed a Dream from Les Misérables — instantly becoming one of the biggest reality TV sensations of all time.

Looking back, Simon admitted the panel’s reactions were even worse behind the scenes than what viewers saw on TV.

“I look back and I just think, ‘My God, we look so awful, horrible,’” Simon confessed. “I actually don’t think we look bad enough. I think we were even worse than that.”

He even singled out former judge Piers Morgan’s facial expression during the audition, calling it one of the worst looks he’s ever seen.

“That look that Piers gives me… I think out of all the looks I’ve ever remembered, that might be the worst,” Simon said. “I was just as bad.”

The American Idol creator admitted he could have edited some of the footage out before the episode aired, but chose not to because it became an important lesson.

“It was a bit of a wake-up call,” he explained. “You can’t judge a book by its cover.”

Simon also acknowledged how quickly public opinion turned once Susan’s performance aired.

“A lot of people are going to realize in about 24 hours that we are just horrible,” he recalled thinking at the time.

Susan herself has spoken openly over the years about how painful the experience initially felt.

The singer, now 65, previously revealed she felt like “an act in a freak show” during her first audition because of the way people mocked her appearance, hair and clothing before she performed.

“It felt quite suffocating,” Susan said in an earlier interview. “Everyone was laughing at me. They wondered who this daft woman with the crazy hair was.”

Despite the humiliation, Susan ultimately had the last laugh.

Her audition became one of the most-watched reality TV moments ever, launching her into international superstardom almost overnight. Since then, she has sold millions of albums, performed around the world and reportedly built a fortune estimated at roughly $40 million.

In recent years, Susan has also undergone a major image transformation, showing off a glamorous new look, lighter hair and a more active social media presence.

The beloved singer regularly shares photos with stars like Sir Elton John, Lionel Richie and Peter Kay, while also promoting her own “Subo” merchandise line to fans online.

And more than 15 years later, that one audition still remains the moment that completely changed reality television forever.