X Factor star says Simon Cowell will walk her down the aisle as she calls talent judge her 'surrogate parent'
1 April 2024, 17:45
A former X Factor star has revealed Simon Cowell will walk her down the aisle as she said the showbiz judge was like a 'surrogate parent' to her.
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Singer-songwriter Lucy Spraggan, who appeared on the reality singing show in 2012 said she had asked Cowell, 64, to give her away while she was staying with him and his fiancee Lauren Silverman.
The 32-year-old is engaged to marry her girlfriend and long-time friend Emilia Smith in June later this year, who she hailed as helping her during her "darkest days".
Sharing the news on social media Spraggan said she now fully appreciates the phrase "when you know you know".
"It wasn't until I fell in love with my friend of 10 years that I truly felt it", she said.
She also said Cowell was like a "surrogate parent" to her, along with his fiancee Silverman.
"I authentically love the guy," she said.
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Speaking to Fabulous Magazine about her engagement, the singer said: "Emilia and I were those friends who said: 'If we're not married by the time we're 40, we'll get married to each other,' and somehow, this deep friendship opened up into attraction."
Discussing how she asked Cowell to walk her down the aisle, she said: "We'd been staying at Simon and Lauren's house for a few days.
"One morning, Simon was about to get in the sea and I said: 'Will you give me away?' and he replied: 'Yeah!'. He went off for a swim and when he came back, he said: 'I'd absolutely love to. It would be an honour'."
Spraggan had previously revealed that an apology from Cowell paved the way for her healing process, nearly a decade after she was raped, in her explosive memoir Process: Finding My Way Through (2023).
In the book she said she was raped in her hotel room by a porter who used a traceable keycard to gain access. He pleaded guilty and was given a 10-year jail sentence.
The music mogul's apology came after she wrote to the companies behind The X Factor: ITV, Fremantle and Syco, Cowell's company, detailing her experience in 2012.
Spraggan was previously married to Georgina Gordon, whom she had met shortly after her X Factor stint, and in November 2019 she announced they had split after three years of marriage.
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Detailing her engagement in an Instagram post, Spraggan said Smith had "spent hours on the phone" with her while she was going through a difficult period and sent her 48 Tunnock's Tea Cakes to get her through writing her book.
"I am so thankful that the universe gave me you, Emilia", she wrote.
"I was immensely thankful when you were just my friend and I cannot begin to describe the gratitude I have to experience your love in a different way.
"Every single part of life has had to happen in order to be standing right beside you now and I honestly would not live any other kind of alternative even if I could.
"People say 'I don't know what I did to deserve you' but I've told you before, I think everything I've ever done has lead me to you. You were the prize.
"All the hard work and all the survival got us both to where we were supposed to be: thriving beside each other.
"You are without doubt the hottest, most cool, talented, hardworking, kind and spiritual soul I've ever come across and it is the world's greatest privilege to be with you."
She ended the post: "I can't wait to start life as a team. I can't think of a better way to start a marriage than 10 years of friendship first."
