Simon Cowell | |
---|---|
Born | Simon Maxwell Cowell 19 April 1952
Epsom, England |
Died | 9 June 2024 | (aged 72)
Education | City of London Freemen's School |
Alma mater | Jesus College, Cambridge (PhD) |
Occupation(s) | Television presenter, conservationist, author |
Years active | 1983–2024 |
Organization | Wildlife Aid Foundation |
Spouse |
Jillian Geraldine Cowell
(divorced) |
Children | 2 |
Simon Maxwell Cowell MBE (19 April 1952 – 9 June 2024) was a British conservationist, television presenter, and author best known for hosting the Animal Planet documentary series Wildlife SOS from 1996 to 2014. [1] He was the founder of Wildlife Aid Foundation, originally titled Wildlife Aid, which is a charitable organization dedicated to the "rescue, rehabilitation, and release of British wildlife". [2]
Cowell was born on 19 April 1952. [3] [4] [5] In his early life, he suffered from stuttering, and enjoyed singing. He attended the City of London Freemen's boarding school, [6] and took part in multiple choirs and school musicals. [1]
Cowell earned a PhD in biological sciences at Jesus College, Cambridge, and worked as a commodities trader through the 1980s. [7] [4]
Together with his ex-wife, Jill, Cowell co-founded the Wildlife Aid Foundation animal rescue and rehabilitation centre in 1983, [8] several years after setting up a wildlife sanctuary on the grounds of his home. [4] The organisation's activities were the subject of the television series Wildlife SOS, and subsequently a YouTube channel series with entries being released to the present day. [9]
As part of his efforts as a conservationist and animal-rights activist, he has campaigned for PETA. [1] Cowell has been described as a "forthright, witty character" who is "not averse" to profanity. Ricky Gervais once described him as " David Attenborough with Tourette's". [4]
He was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2005 Birthday Honours for "services to wildlife". [1] [3] As an author, Cowell released a memoir entitled My Wild Life: The Story of a Most Unlikely Animal Rescuer in 2016. [4]
Cowell had two daughters with his ex-wife, Jillian Geraldine. [4] [8] He resided in Leatherhead, Surrey, and Wildlife Aid Foundation was run out of his home. [10]
Cowell endured a self-described nervous breakdown in 1994, after which he decided to leave London and dedicate "all his time" to the Wildlife Aid charity. [1]
In July 2022 it was announced, through his foundation, that Cowell had been diagnosed with an aggressive, terminal form of lung cancer in late June. [11] A donation campaign for his organisation, titled Simon's Last Wish was launched on 15 July [10] [12] and raised more than £650,000. [13]
On 11 May 2024, it was announced that Cowell's cancer had progressed to his vital organs and although he was still undergoing treatment, doctors had given a prognosis of a few weeks. He died of complications from the disease on 9 June, at the age of 72. [14]
Simon Cowell | |
---|---|
Born | Simon Maxwell Cowell 19 April 1952
Epsom, England |
Died | 9 June 2024 | (aged 72)
Education | City of London Freemen's School |
Alma mater | Jesus College, Cambridge (PhD) |
Occupation(s) | Television presenter, conservationist, author |
Years active | 1983–2024 |
Organization | Wildlife Aid Foundation |
Spouse |
Jillian Geraldine Cowell
(divorced) |
Children | 2 |
Simon Maxwell Cowell MBE (19 April 1952 – 9 June 2024) was a British conservationist, television presenter, and author best known for hosting the Animal Planet documentary series Wildlife SOS from 1996 to 2014. [1] He was the founder of Wildlife Aid Foundation, originally titled Wildlife Aid, which is a charitable organization dedicated to the "rescue, rehabilitation, and release of British wildlife". [2]
Cowell was born on 19 April 1952. [3] [4] [5] In his early life, he suffered from stuttering, and enjoyed singing. He attended the City of London Freemen's boarding school, [6] and took part in multiple choirs and school musicals. [1]
Cowell earned a PhD in biological sciences at Jesus College, Cambridge, and worked as a commodities trader through the 1980s. [7] [4]
Together with his ex-wife, Jill, Cowell co-founded the Wildlife Aid Foundation animal rescue and rehabilitation centre in 1983, [8] several years after setting up a wildlife sanctuary on the grounds of his home. [4] The organisation's activities were the subject of the television series Wildlife SOS, and subsequently a YouTube channel series with entries being released to the present day. [9]
As part of his efforts as a conservationist and animal-rights activist, he has campaigned for PETA. [1] Cowell has been described as a "forthright, witty character" who is "not averse" to profanity. Ricky Gervais once described him as " David Attenborough with Tourette's". [4]
He was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2005 Birthday Honours for "services to wildlife". [1] [3] As an author, Cowell released a memoir entitled My Wild Life: The Story of a Most Unlikely Animal Rescuer in 2016. [4]
Cowell had two daughters with his ex-wife, Jillian Geraldine. [4] [8] He resided in Leatherhead, Surrey, and Wildlife Aid Foundation was run out of his home. [10]
Cowell endured a self-described nervous breakdown in 1994, after which he decided to leave London and dedicate "all his time" to the Wildlife Aid charity. [1]
In July 2022 it was announced, through his foundation, that Cowell had been diagnosed with an aggressive, terminal form of lung cancer in late June. [11] A donation campaign for his organisation, titled Simon's Last Wish was launched on 15 July [10] [12] and raised more than £650,000. [13]
On 11 May 2024, it was announced that Cowell's cancer had progressed to his vital organs and although he was still undergoing treatment, doctors had given a prognosis of a few weeks. He died of complications from the disease on 9 June, at the age of 72. [14]