Simon Cowell got engaged too fast, says his mum

Simon Cowell got engaged too fast, says his mum - Simon Cowell's fiancee quit Britain after becoming bored with The X Factor judge’s long hours at work, his mother has revealed.

Julie Cowell, 85, has said her son may have got engaged to glamorous Mezhgan Hussainy too quickly – and said her move to Los Angeles may give Simon the space he needs.

Ms Hussainy, who worked as a make-up artist on American Idol, is now with her parents in California, although a source close to Cowell insisted she was expected to return.

An ocean apart: Simon and Mezhgan before she fled to Los Angeles

Mrs Cowell, who lives near Brighton, said: ‘It’s a break at the moment. The problem with Simon is that he works so hard.

‘She’s gone to America which, in a way, is a good thing because of Simon’s work. At the moment it isn’t a good idea for her to be here.

'He works too hard': Julie Cowell spoke about her famous son

'She doesn’t know many people in London. If you are Simon’s girlfriend, let’s be honest about this, you are not going to see very much of him. It’s very difficult for a girl to accept that.

‘He doesn’t want anyone sitting in his dressing room when he’s working. Sometimes these girls want to be there too much.

‘They are on good terms and I’m sure are in regular contact. Simon remains friends with all his ex-girlfriends.’

Cowell, 51, and Afghan-born Mezhgan began dating in the summer of last year.

But his mother says the relationship has suffered because 37-year-old Ms Hussainy has few diversions when Simon is at work.

She added: ‘I think [the engagement] was too quick. This might give them the break they need to think it through. Marriage is a very, very big step.’

A spokesperson for Mr Cowell last night said the two were still ‘very much together’ and that Ms Hussainy was due to return to the UK in the next week or so.