Music boss Simon Cowell hailed Katie Piper as the “real definition of what I call strength” and a “true inspiration” in a speech at a charity carol concert.
The X Factor judge, 65, spoke at the third annual Katie Piper Foundation Carol Concert held at St Peter’s Church in Eaton Square, central London.
Cowell, who is a founding patron of the charity, said: “I was delighted and honoured to become a patron of this charity 15 years ago.
“Over the years, Lauren (Silverman) and myself have seen the incredible work it has done and will continue to do for years and years to come”.
He went on: “I was thinking about you (Piper) and that I’ve known you now for 16 years. And you are honestly one of the most special people I’ve ever met because I want to take you back 16 years”.
Cowell recalled seeing Piper on TV and joked that he had offered her a job but “she turned me down, she said ‘no, I want to start this charity'”.
He ended his speech, which also referenced his partner Silverman and son Eric, saying: “I’ve seen you (Piper) over the years give so much of yourself to so many people in such a spectacularly extraordinary way.
“You’ve always been here for me as a friend and to so many people, I’m sure, here as a friend, you’re the real definition of what I call strength, being a survivor in so many ways and real, real, true inspiration.
“I am honoured to be a friend. I will always be here with you, with Lauren, and in years to come Eric.”
Referencing his 10-year-old son Eric, Cowell said: “Over to you next!”
Piper suffered life-changing burns following an acid attack in March 2008.
After surviving the attack at the age of 24, the former model gave up her right to anonymity and made a Channel 4 documentary in 2009 called Katie: My Beautiful Face.
In 2009, she founded the Katie Piper Foundation, which supports survivors of life-changing burns and scars, and has received an honorary doctorate from the Royal College of Surgeons to mark her ground-breaking work with the foundation.
During her opening speech at the event, Piper said: “There are some things that you can never, ever prepare for, and a burns injury is one of them.
“I think no one can truly ever understand how differently it will change your life, physically, emotionally, mentally until it happens to you.
“So, whilst burns survivors are never prepared for what they’re about to face, we are. That’s what we do here at the Katie Piper Foundation, that is our thing…”
She continued: “I can honestly say to anyone that I love my scars, not because of how they look, I love them because they saved my life.
“They woke me up. They made me see a whole new world, a better world, a world that I was ignorant of, and missing out on. There is no shame in smiling, even if your appearance has changed”.
In 2021, Piper, who also appears as a panellist on ITV’s Loose Women, was made an OBE in the Queen’s New Year Honours list for her services to charity and victims of burns and other disfigurement injuries.
