Simon Cowell mentions home break-in on X Factor
Simon Cowell has mentioned the burglary at his west London home on The X Factor - joking that Reggie 'N' Bollie's song Locked Away was "very appropriate".
The music mogul's Holland Park mansion was entered in the early hours of Friday morning, with thieves taking cash and jewellery, The Sun newspaper reported.
Cowell referred to the incident after the first act performed on the semi-final of the ITV show.
Reggie 'N' Bollie, who are mentored by Cheryl Fernandez Versini, sang Locked Away by R City featuring Adam Levine.
When he was asked what he thought of their performance, Cowell said: "What was that about?"
He then joked: "Very appropriate the night after I get burgled."
The X Factor judge, his girlfriend Lauren Silverman and son Eric were reportedly at home at the time of the break-in.
The Sun quoted a family friend as saying Cowell and Silverman are "really badly shaken" by what happened, but are "incredibly relieved no one was hurt".
The Metropolitan Police said officers were called to an address in W14 at around 2.20am to reports of a burglary in progress, but they said the suspects had left the area.
Meanwhile, Cowell does not have any acts left in this year's competition, which will come to a close with next weekend's grand final.
Rita Ora's two girls Lauren Murray and Louisa Johnson, Nick Grimshaw's boy Che Chesterman and the one remaining group Reggie 'N' Bollie all want to make it to the end but one act will be eliminated tonight.
While Cowell was left unimpressed after Reggie'N' Bollie's first performance, he loved their mash-up of I Gotta Feeling/I Like To Move It.
"The final would not be the final without you two in it," he said.
Johnson got a standing ovation from all four judges for her rendition of It's A Man's World, with Fernandez Versini hailing her as "absolutely fantastic" and Cowell saying she had delivered a "masterclass".
He added: "I know it's a different show but Britain has got talent."
Murray impressed the panel with her version of Runnin' (Lose It All), with Cowell hailing it as a "great performance" and Ora telling her: "You can obviously sell records."
Chesterman had Grimshaw and Fernandez Versini in tears after his performance of Amy Winehouse's Love Is A Losing Game.
The former Girls Aloud star said it "really struck a chord" with her, adding: "Amy would have loved that rendition."
Grimshaw said it was "really spectacular", while Cowell said it was good "but a bit ordinary".
Bookies say Johnson is the shortest price any X Factor contestant has been to win the show heading into the final.
She is 1-4 to win ahead of Reggie 'N' Bollie who are 8-1 second favourite, Chesterman can be backed at 9-1, while Murray is 14-1 to win the show, Coral said.
