Marbella X Factor judge's house up for sale for €40 million

One Direction, fresh-faced here in 2010, auditioned at the Marbella villa when Simon Cowell was their X Factor mentor.

Simon Cowell’s luxurious Spanish villa – the backdrop for many a teary, broken X Factor dream over the past ten years – has been put up for sale for around €40 million, the Daily Mail is reporting…

The property, which is located along the Costa del Sol coastline between Marbella and Fuengirola, has wooed millions of viewers each year with its gorgeous views, lush gardens, inviting swimming pool and elegant interiors.

It is perhaps most famous for being the location of boyband One Direction’s first successful audition together, and has since shaped the futures of many wannabe acts on the famous talent show.

But now the house is being auctioned, with the lucky new owner in for quite a treat: the property sits on a 7,000 square metre plot, has 180-degree views of the Mediterranean, has its own tennis court, indoor and outdoor private pools, landscaped gardens and a dozen en-suite bathrooms, all of which have views of the sea.

The home is certainly something of a jewel in Marbella’s crown, but is far from unique to the region – the Costa del Sol plays host to many ultra-luxurious villas, where privacy and extravagance go hand-in-hand.

Somewhat unusually, however, this property is located away from the Golden Mile between Marbella and Puerto Banús, and is instead nestled in a much quieter stretch of the coastline close to Elviria. Hence, it has a little bit more privacy than the average Marbella mega-villa, and thus a price point to match.

Given One Direction’s soaring success since their successful audition six years ago, what is the betting that one of the members of the band doesn’t return with a bid of their own?

Then again, at €40 million, this is one property that is out of reach for all but the super rich. Luckily for Simon Cowell, Marbella regularly attracts such patrons all year round…