‘Simon Cowell is gay’ -- British court hears

A British court has heard allegations that Simon Cowell is gay.

A DRUGS case against a former X Factor judge has taken an unexpected twist, with the court hearing a secret recording in which the star’s manager claims Simon Cowell is gay.

British singer and former judge on The X Factor UK, Tulisa Contostavlos, was being tried in a London court on drugs charges when jurors were played a secret recording of a conversation between Contostavlos’ manager, Gareth Varey, and an undercover reporter.

In the video recorded in reporter Mazher Mahmood’s Metropolitan hotel suite, the Sun on Sunday reporter was heard asking Mr Varey if X Factor judge Simon Cowell was gay.

“Yes”, Varey replied.

Tulisa Contostavlos appears at a London court. Picture: Splash News. Source: Splash News Australia

Mr Mahmood then asked: “Have you slept with him?” to which Mr Varey replied: “No.”

Asked why, he answered: “I will when I make my move.”

Mr Mahmood then said: “How do you know he’s gay?”

Mr Varey replied: “I know people who have,” reportedly claiming he knew other men who had slept with the media mogul.

Contostavlos is on trial after allegedly boasting that she could “sort out” cocaine for Mr Mahmood and put the reporter in touch with her rapper friend Mike GLC who supplied the Class-A drug.

The jury was sent home and told to return to the court on Monday.

Contostavlos was a judge on the British version of The X Factor. Source: Splash News Australia

A spokesman for Simon Cowell said: “We are bound by contempt of court rules so cannot respond to these claims in the manner we wish to.

“We are speaking to the Attorney General’s office — and we intend to make a statement in court as soon as possible.”

In April 2012, Cowell said he was bemused that people constantly asking if he was gay, and would just admit it if he was.

“If I was gay, why wouldn’t I admit it?” he was quoted as saying in an unauthorised autobiography. “It wouldn’t harm me and my mother wouldn’t freak out.”

Cowell, 54, became a father for the first time in February this year after his girlfriend Lauren Silverman, 37, gave birth to their son, Eric.