Max Clifford on Cowell's 'massive own goal'

Max Clifford on Cowell's 'massive own goal'
Max Clifford on Cowell's 'massive own goal' (Image credit: PA Wire/Press Association Images)

Max Clifford said he was 'disappointed' his client Simon Cowell co-operated with the writer of his unofficial biography. The publicist said it had been a 'massive own goal' to work on Tom Bower's book, which has revealed an affair with Dannii Minogue among other insights into his life. Clifford suggested on ITV1's This Morning that there were dozens of unfavourable stories about Simon which he has been keeping out of the public eye. Bower's book Sweet Revenge is being published later this month, but has been serialised by The Sun. As well as the revelation about Dannii, the paper has reported the Britain's Got Talent judge has handed over a £5 million home to his ex-fiancee for being a bad boyfriend and that he made unflattering comments about last year's X Factor winners Little Mix. Clifford said of the book: "My advice was 'don't talk to Tom' because if you do people will think that you've worked with him on the book, as opposed to him coming out with a book and you saying 'well, that's Tom's view of everything, but I've never spoken to him.'" He added: "The big problem I've had with this is because a lot of it is from Simon's own words, and this is a man who for 10 years I protected and always was desperately, desperately keen to have a private life and keep his private life very private. "Of course I'm disappointed. We've had a close relationship for many, many years, I think the world of the guy. Clifford said the revelations about Simon's private life had meant a number of women were coming forward to make claims about relationships. "Of course, it's open season now," he said.

Patrick McLennan

Patrick McLennan is a London-based journalist and documentary maker who has worked as a writer, sub-editor, digital editor and TV producer in the UK and New Zealand. His CV includes spells as a news producer at the BBC and TVNZ, as well as web editor for Time Inc UK. He has produced TV news and entertainment features on personalities as diverse as Nick Cave, Tom Hardy, Clive James, Jodie Marsh and Kevin Bacon and he co-produced and directed The Ponds, which has screened in UK cinemas, BBC Four and is currently available on Netflix. 


An entertainment writer with a diverse taste in TV and film, he lists Seinfeld, The Sopranos, The Chase, The Thick of It and Detectorists among his favourite shows, but steers well clear of most sci-fi.