You can be one of the most powerful men in the country, swanning around with hot women, driving fast cars, owning more identical black t-shirts than you can fit in your 73 houses, but ultimately you’re still just someone’s little boy.

Simon Cowell’s 82 year old mum Julie has given a very funny interview to Yours magazine (ask your nan) in which she reveals that, to her, he’s just the same old Simon he’s always been.

“When I asked him what he wanted [for his 50th birthday] he said, ‘nothing’,” she reveals. “He loves books, so I got him book tokens and his favourite aftershave. Not very showbiz!” We wonder what Simon’s spent the voucher on – Leona’s new one? Some Mills & Boon to indulge his secret romantic side? Or maybe a self-help book – Who Moved My Cheese?

Julie also says that Simon’s whole brutal honesty thing isn’t just an act for TV – he’s always been blunt. “When Simon was five, I bought a new hat and asked him if I looked nice in it,” she recalls. “He replied, ‘You look like a poodle’!” Interesting, very interesting… now, we don’t want to get all psycobabble on on you, but doesn’t Simon now tend to go for women who look a little bit like poodles? Just saying…

Still, before Simon can go “oh MUM, shut UP, you’re embarrassing me!”, Julie does have a few very sweet things to say too. “It would only upset me if he really was a nasty person,” she says. “Simon isn’t nasty – he’s just honest. I’ve always insisted on politeness – so when people say how pleasant Simon is, I mutter ‘thank goodness’. It means more to me than his television career. He hasn’t let success go to his head. I was watching for his feet to come off the ground, and if they did, I would have made sure they came down quickly again.”

We bet she would too. Julie Cowell rules!