Simon Cowell turns up to Tom Bower's book launch

Simon Cowell last night apologised to his close friends and family for embroiling them in an unauthorised tell-all biography.

The X Factor supremo, 52, brazenly turned up to the launch of the book written by Tom Bower.

The book had detailed his secret affair with Dannii Minogue, his break-up with fiancée Mezhgan Husseiny - and how he had wanted a fling with Cheryl Cole.

Surprise! Simon attended Tom Bower's book launch of his unauthorised biography Sweet Revenge: The Intimate Life of Simon Cowell at the Serpentine Gallery in London

The star admitted he had spent the past week 'hiding under a pillow... I knew it was bad because  friends were sending sweet messages asking me "are you ok?"'

He said; 'I wish to publicly apologise to anyone I embarrassed.

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'I do have to apologise to members of my family.'

However, he added; 'Ten years ago, if I had read someone would be writing a book about me, saying I'd made loads of money, shagging loads of girls, I would have said "great".'

Bad advice? Cowell admitted he spoke to Bower after Bernie Ecclestone advised him to do so

After turning up to the bash at the Serpentine Gallery in London, Cowell quipped: 'Being invited here was rather like a cat inviting a mouse to a dinner party.'

Dressed in a black suit and speaking in front of a coterie of billionaire friends, including Sir Philip Green and Flavio Briatore, Cowell said; 'it's been a very interesting year.'

F1 billionaire Bernie Ecclestone was also in attendance - and Cowell admitted he had taken guidance from the diminutive businessman to work alongside Bower.

He said: 'I did take Bernie's advice.

'He said the best thing to do is invite him into your world.'

In the mood to party: Cowell arriving at the Arts Club earlier in thw night

Cowell, did, in fact, invite Bower on his private yacht - and flew him on his private jet to watch X Factor USA auditions.

He revealed; 'I have got to like Tom.

'It's like the Stockholm Syndrome. You're kidnapped and you start to like him.'

He added; 'I've got some big news. I'm not going to do TV for a year - I'm going to write a book.

'It's going to be called the sordid sex life of Tom Bower.'

Friends in high places: Retail tycoon Sir Philip Green attended with his daughter Chloe

Bower said he had written books on '20 victims' - and said Cowell was the first to ever to turn up to one his book launches.

He gave his thanks to Bernie and said 'thanks to Bernie, he suggested that Simon co-operated with me - and he lives to regret it.'

He said he had enjoyed 'the most extraordinary trip' with Cowell.

Referring to Cowell's black toilet paper, Cowell hit back 'one room, one house'.