Simon Cowell 'cancelled engagement to Mezhgan Hussainy after string of rows'... but let her keep £5million home

Simon Cowell quietly cancelled his engagement to make-up artist Mezghan Hussainy after quickly realising she wasn't the one.

In a new biography of the music mogul, it was revealed Cowell cancelled plans to marry the stunning Afghan some time ago and plans to give her his £5million Beverly Hills home as a generous parting gift.

Soon after their February 2010 engagement, Hussainy reportedly became upset over Cowell's busy lifestyle and his relationships with his circle of close female friends.

Short-lived: Simon Cowell and his ex-fiancee Mezhgan Hussainy at the Elton John Oscar party in March 2010 - a few weeks after their engagement

Cowell has famously remained friendly with ex-girlfriends Jackie St Clair, Sinitta and Terri Seymour, even buying the latter a $4.6million house in Los Angeles following their split in 2008.

The pair soon started arguing frequently with the Britain's Got Talent judge soon realising he'd made a mistake by asking her to marry him.

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Friends of Cowell speak of his embarrassment at realising he didn't want to marry Hussainy in a new unauthorised biogaphy, Sweet Revenge: The Intimate Life Of Simon Cowell by Tom Bower.

After Cowell returned home late from an American Idol taping one night in 2010, furious Hussainy lashed out at him, in front of his mother Julie, 87.

Difficulties: Cowell's mother Julie (far right) noticed the couple's relationship wasn't right

Julie is quoted as saying: 'The tension was horrendous. The way Mezhgan behaved made my stomach churn.'

After Hussainy apparently stormed out, his mother said: 'Something's wrong here Simon. It's not what we thought. I was very happy and now I'm not.'

Cowell admitted they were having issues: 'There's a problem.'

Awkward: Cowell and Hussainy share an awkward kiss on U.S. TV soon after announcing their engagement

Revelations: Tom Bower's book will hit the shelves on Friday

He soon admitted to his friends he'd made a 'big mistake' and decided to move into the Peninsula Hotel in LA, rather than share a roof with her.

He eventually admitted to Hussainy there was no future for them, but declined to make a public announcement to that effect.

Cowell was last photographed with Hussainy last September leaving a friend's house in Beverly Hills.

She wasn't wearing her engagement ring at the time and Cowell's spokesperson Max Clifford said: ''Well I don't know about planning a wedding - I think you might have to wait 20 years for Simon to plan a wedding but they are as close as they've ever been.'

In an interview last September, he said: 'I’m not going to lie, everything this year has been about working on The X Factor. It has probably been the busiest year I’ve ever had.

'Making the choice to get married is something you just have to decide when the time is right.'

Cowell and divorcee Hussainy met while she was a make-up artist on American Idol.

They got engaged on Valentine's Day 2010 after Cowell's West London home, when he proposed with a £250,000 diamond ring from jewellers Graff.

The book claims Cowell started seeing Hussainy in 2006, when he was still living with ex-girlfriend, TV presenter Seymour.