Simon Cowell has admitted that he'd act like One Direction if he was their age.

The young boyband have often been associated with cheeky tomfoolery and they are also linked with plenty of females.

Throw a penchant for tattoos into the equation and you've got some pop stars who are edging into rock n' roll territory.

Speaking at a Health Lottery shindig in London recently, Cowell admitted that he empathises with the quintet, admitting:

"I'd be as wild as them at their age."

As previously reported, One Direction recently helped launch Simon Cowell's new global online talent contest The You Generation.