Simon Cowell (conservationist)

This article is about the conservationist. For the record executive and reality TV star, see Simon Cowell.

Simon Maxwell Cowell MBE (19 April 1952 – 9 June 2024) was a British conservationist, television presenter, and author best known for hosting the Animal Planet documentary series Wildlife SOS from 1996 to 2014.^[1] He was the founder of Wildlife Aid Foundation, originally titled Wildlife Aid, which is a charitable organization dedicated to the "rescue, rehabilitation, and release of British wildlife".^[2]

Simon Cowell MBE
Born	Simon Maxwell Cowell (1952-04-19)19 April 1952 Epsom, England
Died	9 June 2024(2024-06-09) (aged 72)
Education	City of London Freemen's School
Alma mater	Jesus College, Cambridge (PhD)
Occupation(s)	Television presenter, conservationist, author
Years active	1983–2024
Organization	Wildlife Aid Foundation
Spouse	Jillian Geraldine Cowell ​ ​ (divorced)​
Children	2

Early life and education

Cowell was born on 19 April 1952.^[3][4][5] In his early life, he suffered from stuttering, and enjoyed singing. He attended the City of London Freemen's boarding school,^[6] and took part in multiple choirs and school musicals.^[1]

Cowell earned a PhD in biological sciences at Jesus College, Cambridge, and worked as a commodities trader through the 1980s.^[7][4]

Career

Together with his ex-wife, Jill, Cowell co-founded the Wildlife Aid Foundation animal rescue and rehabilitation centre in 1983,^[8] several years after setting up a wildlife sanctuary on the grounds of his home.^[4] The organisation's activities were the subject of the television series Wildlife SOS, and subsequently a YouTube channel series with entries being released to the present day.^[9]

As part of his efforts as a conservationist and animal-rights activist, he has campaigned for PETA.^[1] Cowell has been described as a "forthright, witty character" who is "not averse" to profanity. Ricky Gervais once described him as "David Attenborough with Tourette's".^[4]

He was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2005 Birthday Honours for "services to wildlife".^[1][3] As an author, Cowell released a memoir entitled My Wild Life: The Story of a Most Unlikely Animal Rescuer in 2016.^[4]

Personal life

Cowell had two daughters with his ex-wife, Jillian Geraldine.^[4][8] He resided in Leatherhead, Surrey, and Wildlife Aid Foundation was run out of his home.^[10]

Health and death

Cowell endured a self-described nervous breakdown in 1994, after which he decided to leave London and dedicate "all his time" to the Wildlife Aid charity.^[1]

In July 2022 it was announced, through his foundation, that Cowell had been diagnosed with an aggressive, terminal form of lung cancer in late June.^[11] A donation campaign for his organisation, titled Simon's Last Wish was launched on 15 July^[10][12] and raised more than £650,000.^[13]

On 11 May 2024, it was announced that Cowell's cancer had progressed to his vital organs and although he was still undergoing treatment, doctors had given a prognosis of a few weeks. He died of complications from the disease on 9 June, at the age of 72.^{[14][15][16][17]}