Simon Cowell is already dreaming about the future of America’s Got Talent, and he’s got someone very special in mind to take the reins. The 65-year-old music mogul revealed that he hopes his 11-year-old son, Eric, might one day step into his shoes and keep the show’s legacy alive.
While reflecting on the show’s massive 20-year milestone, Simon shared with PEOPLE magazine just how much the series means to him and how he’s thinking long term when it comes to its future.
“I’m now looking at the next 20 years of this show where does it go next?” he said. For Simon, there’s no end in sight when it comes to America’s Got Talent, and he’s hoping it sticks around for decades to come.
“And because it’s so open to anyone, I really do have this feeling that whether it’s me or whether it’s Eric, my son, you’re going to be having a conversation with us in 20 years time saying, ‘Well, how was the 40th anniversary?’ Because I can’t imagine this show not being on now,” he added.
Simon shares Eric with longtime partner Lauren Silverman, and while Eric is still young, there are already signs he might be interested in carrying on the family business.
When asked if he’s talked to Eric about stepping into the spotlight or behind the scenes, Simon admitted, “I haven’t really had that conversation. I’ve hinted at it.”
It sounds like Eric is already showing a natural interest in the industry. “Fortunately, like me, he loves these kinds of shows, which is a good start,” Simon said, adding, “I think he’d actually be a really good producer.”
For someone who’s spent most of his career discovering talent and producing hit after hit, it’s no surprise that Simon is thinking about legacy. And for longtime AGT fans, the idea of a future generation keeping the show going, especially someone raised right alongside it, adds a whole new level of excitement.
As America’s Got Talent keeps entertaining millions, the thought of a father-son duo building its future makes the journey feel even more personal.