Simon Cowell fails to quit smoking

TV mogul Simon Cowell says he once tried to give up smoking, but failed within minutes.

The 55-year-old, who has 14-month-old baby Eric with his partner Lauren Silverman, told The Sun newspaper that he underwent hypnotherapy in a bid to kick the habit, but had another cigarette in his mouth within moments of leaving the session, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

"I tried once to give up smoking, and the first thing I did when I walked out of the hypnotist's was light up a cigarette. I actually wanted one more," he said.

Earlier Cowell was hypnotised once more, this time by a dog for the auditions of the reality TV show "Britain's Got Talent" and says he found it to be the "weirdest feeling."

He said: "That was a very strange sensation. Look, I don't know whether it was the trainer or whether it was the dog, but it was the weirdest feeling. It's all on tape.

"I do start yawning and feeling very light-headed. My last memory was the dog staring at me - and I love dogs - with this really weird look. Then the next thing, the girl is saying: 'Five, four three, two, one, wake up.'"