MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS, 31 OCTOBER 2005

X factor heartache for Waterman

The legendary music producer, who launched the singing careers of Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan and Rick Astley, was asked to be a judge on the ITV1 hit show but had to refuse because of the mystery illness his eldest son, Paul, 33, was suffering at the time.

Paul died at a London hospital in January this year and a grieving Pete has kept a low- profile ever since.

Warrington-based Pete is now ready to get back to work and has spoken of his heartache and how he is trying to cope with it.

Being in discussions with the programme's producers at the time of his son's death has meant he associates the show with the dark period in his family life.

Even watching the programme, featuring his friend Simon Cowell, is too much to bear, he says.

He said: "I can't watch this programme because it reminds me about when my tragedy happened. It's too much for me - it's so hurtful for me that I won't watch it.

"Simon's my mate. I speak to him every Monday and I know it's a huge success.

"I'm not on it but I should be one of the judges. However, because of my circumstances, I couldn't do it."

Pete, who has been a judge on other successful pop talent shows - Pop Idol and Popstars The Rivals - said that recent dinner party conversations have been dominated by the show's success but he simply can't join in.

He said: "It's really difficult because the show is so successful and everybody's talking about it.

"When we're round a table and people are talking about it I just have to keep schtum."

Though he was seriously ill, Paul's death came as a shock to Pete, happening just days after he visited Buckingham Palace to receive an OBE. Paul had been battling the serious mystery illness for some time at London's Institute of Neurology.

The child of Pete's marriage to his first wife Pamela, Paul was reunited with his father when, at the age of 16, he was invited to work at his dad's record company, PWL.

The Watermans' private life has been blighted with tragedy in recent years.

In addition to Paul's death, his younger brother, Pete Waterman Jnr, was also seriously ill in January 1999.

Aged just 17, Pete Jnr spent two weeks in a coma after receiving serious burns following a freak karting accident.

Though Pete is still grieving for Paul, he has revealed he is fully focussed on getting back to work.

Speaking as part of a tour to promote a greatest-hits album featuring work from his celebrated collaboration with fellow producers Matt Scott and Mike Aitken, he explained just what prompted the release of the album. Pete said: "I went to a couple of school dances with my kids and the DJs were playing our stuff. I called Matt and Mike and said it was time to do our greatest hits."

He added that he hopes the release will lead to the famed partnership of Stock-Aitken-Waterman reuniting after their split in the early 1990s.

"Everybody thinks we fell out but we didn't," said Pete "They're my mates and I miss them. I did things like Steps since then but it's not the same.

"We had a work ethic between the three of us that you can't replicate."

Meanwhile, The X Factor continues to be a super success with the public.

The three judges, Simon Cowell, Sharon Osbourne and Louis Walsh, are stars in their own right.

Cowell in particular is famous for his forthright opinions about the talent on the show.

Sharon is married to Black Sabbath's Ozzy Osbourne, and Louis is undisputed king of the Irish pop scene.