London, Feb 28 - Simon Cowell may not be known for his sensitive side but the music mogul had to hold back his tears when he re-lived the moment he discovered his father had died.

In a telly interview with his pal Piers Morgan, Cowell described the time when he broke down following the news of his father Eric's death.

EMI executive Eric suffered a fatal heart attack in 1999.

"It was a horrible, horrible, horrible time. You believe everyone is going to live forever and they don't and all the stuff you think you care about, the hit records and stuff like that, it's just meaningless," News of the World quoted him as saying.

"I can't admit things, that's why I can't go to funerals and stuff like that. I find it very, very difficult to deal with that kind of reality. I shut myself off totally because it affects me so badly.

"And then, because I had to deal with that, it was the hardest thing I ever had to do - because I'd never lost anyone in my life. I just couldn't accept it.

"He was my best friend and he gave me so much good advice and I'll always remember that," he added. (ANI)