Call yourselves my guard dogs: Simon Cowell sends beloved Freddie, Squiddly and Diddly to the doghouse after raid and calls in some REAL canine security

  • Three Yorkshires usually yap at sign of trouble, but stayed quiet in the raid
  • Pampered pups were instead tucked up in his bed as house was burgled
  • Music mogul fired his pet pooches and called in more fearsome hounds
  • Cowell also sacked his own guard, who is thought to have been in the toilet

He's already fired a security guard over the break-in at his £10 million London home – now Simon Cowell has relieved his pet pooches from guard-dog duty after they failed to sound the alarm over the intruders.

His beloved Yorkshire terriers Squiddly, Diddly and Freddie usually yap at the first sign of trouble, but they remained uncharacteristically quiet during the 2am burglary.

So in a move that will do nothing to soften his Mr Nasty image, Cowell has fired his own pets from being watchdogs, and called in some more fearsome canine security. ‘I have dogs who bark now,’ the 56-year-old pop mogul said last night. ‘Usually Squiddly, Diddly and Freddie never stop barking – but this is the first time they didn’t make a sound.’

Guard dogs: Music mogul Simon Cowell with his three Yorkshire terriers, Squiddly, Diddly and Freddie, who usually yap at the first sign of  trouble

Guard dogs: Music mogul Simon Cowell with his three Yorkshire terriers, Squiddly, Diddly and Freddie, who usually yap at the first sign of  trouble

The pampered dogs were on Cowell’s bed when burglars struck at his Holland Park home in the early hours of December 4, as the X Factor maestro, his partner Lauren Silverman and 22-month-old son Eric slept.

The raiders got away with jewellery and cash from the safe, but one of them dropped Cowell’s passport when he was spotted by a private neighbourhood security guard, who also managed to retrieve a bag of valuables said to be worth £500,000. Last week we reported how Cowell sacked his own guard, who was thought to have been in the toilet at the time of the raid.

Danger: Cheryl Fernandez-Versini has also stepped up security at her home following the raid on Cowell's London house

Danger: Cheryl Fernandez-Versini has also stepped up security at her home following the raid on Cowell's London house

Cowell said: ‘The most frightening thing is someone has been in your house. It’s not what they steal, it’s that someone can break into your house. It’s nerve-racking, but no one got hurt. It could have been worse. I was fine. Lauren was woken up with me and we checked on Eric. I think the burglar had inside knowledge.

‘Would I like to meet the culprit? One hundred per cent. If we found him I would want to have a conversation with him. They have to realise the psychological damage it does because I had someone I don’t know in my home 8ft from my little boy.’

This year’s X Factor concludes on ITV tonight with a live final from Wembley Arena, featuring a guest appearance from Adele.

Cowell said he landed the coup as the singer has ‘always been a fan and supporter of the show’. He added: ‘Sometimes, when I did auditions years ago, I’d see her sitting in the audience. She was already famous but I would turn round and go “Is that Adele?” And it was.

‘We hadn’t invited her personally, she just came along, and that’s what I have always loved about her. I am sure every show was trying to get her but she is very loyal to us. ‘

Cowell said Adele’s appearance would further boost sales of her third album, 25, which has already become the fastest-selling of all time. ‘Artists see a massive uplift in sales any time they appear on the show,’ he said. ‘Strictly has the bigger audience but we have the audience who buy records.’

Asked if she was now too big a star to become an X Factor judge, as has been mooted, Cowell added: ‘She could go on any show we’ve made. I don’t think it would be for a while, but she would be brilliant.’

Cowell is not the only X Factor judge to have upped their security. Cheryl Fernandez-Versini said: ‘I had a serious security system before but I have laser beams now, so they [intruders] have no need coming to mine. I had them installed after hearing what happened to Simon. It really is serious. I’m not talking any chances.’

And the 32-year-old, whose marriage is reportedly under strain this weekend, joked: ‘And I have chihuahuas!’

Hopefully they will be more effective than Cowell’s terriers.

 

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