Simon Cowell and girlfriend, Lauren Silverman, have named their newborn son, Eric, after Cowell's late father.

The baby boy weighed 6lbs 7oz and was born in Lenox Hill Hospital, where Beyoncė gave birth. Eric was born at 17.45 EST on Valentine's Day (February 14).

The birth was two weeks' premature, and Cowell missed yesterday's Britain's Got Talent auditions in London to catch a standard flight to New York.

54-year-old Cowell initially vowed to quit smoking but has since decided that he will have a 'smoking room' at home.

Cowell announced the news on Twitter: 

"Very happy to say Eric was born at 17.45pm. Healthy and handsome. Named after my dad".

Cowell's father died in 1999 at the age of 81. He also worked in the music business.

37-year-old Silverman was due to give birth on February 28.

Meanwhile in London, the Britain's Got Talent auditions went ahead at the Hammersmith Apollo (see below).

Two days before the birth, on February 12, Cowell revealed that he would like his son to have a British accent.

Watch news reports on the birth of Simon Cowell and Lauren Silverman's son below: