Simon Cowell: 'I contemplated suicide'

Simon Cowell has admitted that he thought about killing himself when he was growing up.

The music mogul said he hated school and could not handle the idea that his life would not improve.

He told Parade: "I was always bored. I didn't like the rules and I didn't like discipline. So when someone said to me, 'These are the best days of your life', I actually thought about jumping off a bridge.

"I was like, 'If it gets any worse than this I'm done', because I hated school and I hated my life."

He also revealed that the criticism he received in his early career had taught him the necessary lessons to be a success, saying: "No one gave me any handouts when I started. I had to work my way up. I certainly learned more when people criticised me than when they lied to me and said what I was doing was right."

Talking about his 'Mr. Nasty' tag on reality shows such as The X Factor and American Idol, he added: "You cannot survive in this business unless you know when you've made a mistake. So I would feel guilty about giving people fake hope when I genuinely believe they have no chance."