Simon Cowell has reportedly refused to return to the UK to help promote this year’s new X Factor series, because he thinks all the flying and the jet lag ages him.

The music mogul has been very active behind the scenes, choosing new judge Nicole Scherzinger and laying down the law in terms of what sort of contestants he wants to see in the 2012 live shows. However, he won’t be in England to launch it or to make an appearance on it if reports are to be believed.

Cowell may have the use of a private jet, but it seems he doesn’t want to make repeated 3,000 mile trips even if it does benefit the show, because he thinks the transatlantic commuting makes him look older.

A source told The Sun:

“Simon hates the way his face looks when he’s jet-lagged and that’s the real reason he will never be back.

“When he’s tired he gets bags and dark circles under his eyes and he hates that.”

The image conscious TV boss has previously admitted to having botox in a bid to appear younger and lives on vegetable smoothies and vitamin supplements, in the hope that they will halt the ageing process.

He doesn’t want to be investing time and money in all these measures, only to make himself look worse by flying all over the world. The source added:

“The air-con on the plane also really dries out his skin.

“When he gets off a plane he wears sunglasses to hide his eyes.”

Cowell was pictured earlier this year with plasters behind his ears, a sign that he may have undergone plastic surgery and had a face lift before his new series of X Factor USA began.

It seems he’s a real LA man now!

The insider continued:

“Simon’s looks are important to him — he’s got one of the most famous faces in the world. This is all about him protecting his image.”

The X Factor UK returns to our screens in just a few weeks time, with the US version kicking off this September. Will you miss Simon from the lineup? Were you hoping he’d make a Britain’s Got Talent style comeback? Leave your comments below…