Simon Cowell has been hailed a hero for offering his private jet to a Britain's Got Talent crew member whose pregnant girlfriend went into early labour.

Sound recorder John Hagenstede was shooting the latest round of auditions in Edinburgh, Scotland when he found out his partner Lisa Stewart was getting ready to welcome their first child nearly two weeks before her due date.

John panicked when he couldn't find a quick flight back to Caterham, Surrey, where his partner had been rushed to hospital in an ambulance.

He told the Daily Express: "Lisa wasn't due for another 12 days so I was shocked to get the call and desperately wanted to get back to Surrey to be with her.

"We looked up every possible option of getting me home and I was devastated when I realised the only option was waiting and getting a flight in the morning. I knew I would miss the birth."

However, Simon swooped in to the rescue by offering the 44-year-old a ride back to England on his plush plane so he wouldn't miss the birth.

John jetted into Luton airport with Simon and his fellow BGT judges David Walliams and Alesha Dixon, and was even treated to a chauffeur ride to the hospital in the nick of time to see the birth of his son Jude Berkeley Hagenstede on Sunday.

He adds: "There was a car waiting for Simon and the others and another one that he had laid on for me. Simon said: 'Congratulations to you and your girlfriend and I hope it goes well.'

"I just wanted to keep thanking him - I was over the moon... He's such a beautiful child. I thought it was near impossible that I would get to see the birth but I got here with just minutes to spare.

"If it hadn't been for Simon and his plane I would have missed the whole thing. Hats off to him."

Guess he's not so Mr. Nasty after all!

THE GRAMMYS 2012: RED CARPET PHOTOS

Loading Slideshow

• The Grammys 2012: Red Carpet

  Rihanna (Pic: WENN)

• The Grammys 2012: Red Carpet

  Adele (Pic: Rex)

• The Grammys 2012: Red Carpet

  Jessie J (Pic: WENN)

• The Grammys 2012: Red Carpet

  Kelly Rowland (Pic: WENN)

• The Grammys 2012: Red Carpet

  Fergie (Pic: WENN)

• The Grammys 2012: Red Carpet

  Maroon 5's Adam Levine with his girlfriend Anne V (Pic: WENN)

• The Grammys 2012: Red Carpet

  Katy Perry (Pic: WENN)

• The Grammys 2012: Red Carpet

  Kelly Osbourne (Pic: PA)

• The Grammys 2012: Red Carpet

  Taylor Swift (Pic: WENN)

• The Grammys 2012: Red Carpet

  Paris Hilton (Pic: WENN)

• The Grammys 2012: Red Carpet

  Alicia Keys (Pic: WENN)

• The Grammys 2012: Red Carpet

  Kate Beckinsale (Pic: WENN)

• The Grammys 2012: Red Carpet

  Cyndi Lauper (Pic: PA)

• The Grammys 2012: Red Carpet

  Diana Ross (Pic: WENN)

• The Grammys 2012: Red Carpet

  Bruno Mars (Pic: PA)

• The Grammys 2012: Red Carpet

  Julianne Hough (Pic: WENN)

• The Grammys 2012: Red Carpet

  Mitch and Janis Winehouse (Pic: WENN)

• The Grammys 2012: Red Carpet

  Adele (Pic: PA)

• The Grammys 2012: Red Carpet

  David and Cathy Guetta (Pic: WENN)

• The Grammys 2012: Red Carpet

  Nicki Minaj (Pic: WENN)