Simon Cowell lends private jet to worker to get to birth of his baby
Cowell ensured employee Hagenstede, 44, made it in time to see the birth of his first child.
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Simon Cowell, the music mogul, came to the rescue of father-to-be John Hagenstede by giving him a lift on his private jet when his girlfriend went into labour.
The Britain's Got Talent judge stepped in to make sure sound recordist Mr Hagenstede, 44, made it in time to see the birth of his first child.
Mr Hagenstede was working at the talent show's auditions in Edinburgh when his heavily-pregnant girlfriend, make-up artist Lisa Stewart, 30, called him at 10pm on Saturday saying she had gone into labour.
The couple, who met through work seven years ago, live in Caterham, Surrey, and with no flights or trains that night, Mr Hagenstede feared he would miss the birth.
But as auditions came to a close at 10.45pm, Cowell heard about his predicament and invited him to join him on the private jet that was flying him and fellow judges Alesha Dixon and David Walliams to Luton airport.
''Lisa wasn't due for another nine days, so I was shocked to get the call and desperately wanted to get back to Surrey to be with her,'' Mr Hagenstede said.
''We looked up every possible option of getting me home and I was devastated when I realised the only option was waiting and getting a flight in the morning. I knew I would miss the birth of my first child.
''Simon, David and Alesha were so brilliant. They knew how important it was to me and not only did they let me share their private jet, they also gave me drinks on the flight, relaxed me and were generally lovely and supportive.''
Cowell also arranged for a car to be waiting for the father-to-be as the jet landed, which whisked him from Luton airport to East Surrey hospital where girlfriend Lisa was.
He got there in the nick of the time, witnessing the birth of son Jude Berkeley Hagenstede, who weighed a healthy 7lbs 8oz.
''As I left Simon, David and Alesha wished me luck and offered their congratulations,'' he added.
''I got there with just moments to spare. If I'd have got there 10 minutes later I'd have missed the birth of my son. I'm so grateful to Simon. Without him there was no way I'd have been there for that precious moment.''
Press Association
