Until very recently she was one of the more prominent members of Simon Cowell’s elite inner circle, but despite their close relationship Sinitta says she was ‘stunned’ upon hearing the news that he is expecting his first child with Lauren Silverman.
Cowell dropped the bombshell that he is to be a first time dad at 53 over the summer, and Sinitta – whose friendship with the music mogul stretches back to the 80s, when they dated – admits she received the news with a complete sense of disbelief.
She told Hello!: ‘I was completely and utterly stunned. I was in such a daze, to the point where I wondered if I was dreaming it.
'But he sort of led me to guess myself. He started with something along the lines of 'There's something you need to know'... it was such a shock.'
Stunned: Sinitta admits that she was shocked when Simon Cowell broke the news that he is to be a father for the first time at the age of 53
She added: 'My first thought was 'Are you okay with this?' because Simon has always been very vocal about not wanting kids. But it was clear that, by then, he'd had time to get his head around the idea and it was all about managing other people's shock.
‘He sounded… odd, calm, strange, which threw me. I don’t mind admitting all sorts of emotions were running around inside me. He was very concerned about how I would take it, which, on reflection, he didn't need to be. He didn't owe me that consideration.’
Famed for maintaining close relationships with many of his exes, Cowell is regularly spotted in the company of his old flames – amongst them Jackie St-Clair and former fiancée Mezghan Hussainy.
But while Sinitta, 49, says his engagement to the make-up artist was a surprise, she admits his baby news left her reeling.
‘When he proposed to Mezghan, that was a curve ball,’ she said. ‘But I suppose there has been a certain amount of comfort for me in my not having a child with Simon as he never wanted to have children. That’s who he was. You accepted it.
‘Then to discover that he is going to have a child, only with someone else and they’re building this life together… All those crazy things were going through my head and it’s not fair and it’s not pertinent to Simon and Lauren’s situation and I don’t have a right to feel that way. But I’m being honest.’
We're expecting: Simon Cowell and Lauren Silverman are expecting their first child together
Cowell’s growing circle of women saw mum-of-one Lauren – who was married to realtor Andrew Silverman – join Sinitta, Jackie and Mezghan for regular cruises around the south of France on his luxury yacht.
Sinitta's last visit to the yacht came last month during what would be her first meeting with Cowell since he told her of his imminent parenthood with Lauren, 36, who is four months pregnant.
She said: ‘We knew we were all close friends but I didn’t realize he and Lauren were falling in love and, when I found out, I will admit I was taking aback and did feel a sense of betrayal.’
The former singer had previously alluded to the surprise development in a post on her Twitter account.
Telling tweet: Sinitta posted this message on her Twitter account in July, shortly after Cowell told her that he is to be a father for the first time
Face to face: Lauren Silverman and Simon Cowell (left) holidayed with Sinitta on the music mogul's yacht in August
Referring to that post, she admits it was a knee-jerk reaction made public shortly after Cowell delivered the shocking news.
She said: 'It was the middle of the night, I couldn't get back to sleep and I thought it would be ages before the news came out and that no one would make the link - but yes, that wa sa reaction to what Simon had just told me.'
Sinitta has been a constant feature in Cowell’s life since they dated in the 80s and regularly joined him on the British version of The X Factor prior to his departure from the show in 2010.
Curve ball: Cowell was previously engaged to make-up artist Mezhgan Hussainy
She once said: ‘I’ve known him since I was 14. I didn’t have a brother or a father when I was younger, so he’s the male figure I’ve had in my life the longest.
‘He’s covered everything, from boyfriend and friend to father figure and boss. He’s just so many things to me.’
But while Cowell adjusts to the prospect of fatherhood, Sinitta has endured a very public struggle to have children of her own.
Day out: Sinitta and Jackie St-Clair join Cowell and pal Piers Morgan at Ascot
After suffering four miscarriages and attempting IVF treatment, she eventually adopted her two children – daughter Magdalena, 8, and 6-year-old Zac.
X Factor boss Cowell is godfather to both, and she admits his behaviour with then is a good indication that he will be a hands-on father.
‘Simon does everything naughty,’ she said last month. ‘I’m trying to promote eating nicely, speaking nicely, not being rude.
‘He shows them food in his mouth when he is eating and gives them toys to bang in the bedroom when I’m trying to sleep. He’s great with kids. He becomes a third child himself.’
Close: Sinitta's relationship with Cowell stretches back more than thirty years
#dailymail
