Did Simon Cowell Just Spill Details On A One Direction Reunion?

In an interview that began with music executive and America’s Got Talent Judge Simon Cowell speaking of his special relationship with Louis Tomilson, the former member ofOne Direction, the conversation quickly turned into talks of a possible reunion of the worldwide music phenomenon.

Cowell put together mega-selling British band after Tomilson, Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, and Niall Horan auditioned separately for the British series The X-Factor in 2010.

The band eventually parted ways in 2015.

Us Weekly reported that Cowell feels fatherly to Tomlinson, who he has seen grow up and mature in the public eye.

“[Louis] was like 17 when he auditioned for me,” Cowell stated to Us at a taping of the popular NBC show on Tuesday, August 14.

“And now he’s a judge for me on [X Factor in the U.K.] and he’s got a son. We have gone through so much together but the fact that we’re still friends is fantastic. I like that.”

Tomlinson, 26, shares custody of 2-year-old Freddie with ex-Briana Jungwirth.

As for the rumors that One Direction would regroup some time in the near future, Cowell fanned the flames and stated that this time around the band is a known commodity and has “nothing to prove.”

Though the group has no plans to get back together at the moment, Cowell thinks they should reconsider and move forward as a unit.

“Personally, I think they would enjoy it more the second time around because they haven’t got anything to prove,” he explained. “They’ve done it, they know there would be a demand for it, and I think they would have more.”

He continued his statement by stating he would be “very unhappy” if the band never reunited.

Cowell confessed to Us, “With the amount of hits they’ve had, and because they’ve had time away, I think they’d probably enjoy more the second time around. I just have that feeling.”

Once known as the meanest judge on television, Cowell seems to have softened over the years after the birth of his son Eric with girlfriend Lauren Silverman, in 2014.

“Because you kind of think, ‘What would I feel if that was Eric up there?’ Well first of all, I wouldn’t let him. I want him on my side of the desk, not the other side,” Cowell quipped. “But yeah, you definitely feel differently. I mean certainly for the younger contestants.”

The current season of America’s Got Talent airs on Tuesdays on NBC.