Simon Cowell gives up working on Fridays because ‘it’s pointless’

Simon Cowell
Simon Cowell: 'I don’t think anyone should be working five days a week' - CraSH/Shutterstock

Simon Cowell has advised people to not work on Fridays because the five-day week is “pointless”.

The former X Factor judge, 64, revealed that he does not work on the final day of the traditional working week, as he backed calls for a four-day week.

He told The Sun: “Actually, the first thing is take off Fridays. Don’t work on Fridays, because you don’t have to.

“Eat dinner at five o ‘clock. Don’t take calls after 5.30. Don’t read emails after 5.30. Watch a happy movie. And stay outside.”

He added: “I’m not kidding about the Fridays. I don’t think anyone should be working five days a week. It’s just pointless.”

More time with his son

Ahead of filming his new show America’s Got Talent Fantasy League, he said he was trying to spend more time with his 10-year-old son Eric.

He said parents have “got to be absolutely focused” because children “know when you’re faking it”.

The public and private sector in Britain have experimented with four-day weeks in recent years to varying degrees of success.

Last week the Cabinet Office set out new guidance for senior civil servants to come into the office more than 60 per cent of the time to show “strong visible leadership”.

New starters will also have to come into the office more than 60 per cent of the time under the new rules, while other staff have been told they must work there at least three days a week.

Corporate and public employers have increasingly adopted the so-called “TWaT” model, of workers coming into the office only on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays with the remaining two days at home.

However, some have abandoned it including Krystal, an internet services firm in London, which found it made staff more stressed.