Simon Cowell has revealed he has gone vegetarian ahead of his 60th birthday later this year.

The X Factor supremo – who said he “loves” comfort food, including jam tarts, hamburgers and spaghetti Bolognese – has kicked meat, dairy, wheat and sugar as part of a new diet.

In an interview with The Sun, Cowell also announced he now rarely indulges in beer and cigarettes, saying they are an “occasional” treat.

Simon Cowell
Simon Cowell has drastically changed his diet ahead of his 60th birthday later this year (Ian West/PA)

He told the newspaper: “A friend of mine, who is a doctor, recommended speaking to an expert, and I did it on a whim.

“I was allergic to melon, so I didn’t eat it for six months, but I saw this man and he explained it and it made sense.

“Within 24 hours I changed my diet and I’ve not looked back since. You feel better, you look better.

“I cut out a lot of the stuff I shouldn’t have been eating and that was primarily meat, dairy, wheat, sugar — those were the four main things.”

Cowell’s new diet comes after he suffered a fall at home in the middle of the night in October 2017.

At the time, Cowell, who is father to five-year-old-son Eric, the child he shares with girlfriend Lauren Silverman, 41, blamed low blood pressure and promised to take better care of himself.

Cowell will celebrate his 60th birthday in October.