Simon Cowell had a giant image of his face projected onto the building where he held his 50th birthday party.

The 'American Idol' judged celebrated reaching the landmark age with a £1 million bash at stately home Wrotham Park in Barnet, Hertfordshire yesterday (03.10.09).

The event was a star-studded affair, boasting 400 guests including supermodels Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell, singers Cheryl Cole and Dannii Minogue and chef Gordon Ramsay.

Several of Simon's ex-girlfriends were also in attendance, including Terri Seymour, Sinitta and Jackie St Clair.

After being welcomed into the historic building by the image of Simon, guests were treated to a number of other surprises which ensured they didn't forget whose birthday it was.

Waiters in a Moulin Rouge-themed marquee donned masks of Simon's face, while the bread rolls presented with dinner spelled his name.

The meal included 'Simon's Chicken Soup', which boasted pasta shapes also in the music mogul's name.

Inside the palatial building a fake Michelangelo artwork was installed on the ceiling, again featuring Simon's image.

A source said: "It was typical of Simon - cheeky and fun with one surprise after another. Everyone sat on velvet chairs - and were given a choice of main meal of either fish fingers and mushy peas of shepherd's pie."

Special birthday messages from some of Simon's famous friends, including David and Victoria Beckham and Jennifer Aniston, were screened inside the house - with TVs even showing them in the toilets.

Guests were driven to the venue, which is 30 minutes from London, in a convoy of limousines, with three Rat Pack impersonators on hand to entertain them after being flown in from the US.

Others people present included Sharon Osbourne, David Hasselhoff, Katie Price, Paula Abdul, Piers Morgan, Randy Jackson, Kelly Brook, Lord Andrew Lloyd-Webber and Olivia Newton-John, as well as several contestants from the reality TV shows Simon judges such as 'Britain's Got Talent' winner Paul Potts and 'The X Factor' winner Shayne Ward.

The party was planned by retail boss Sir Philip Green and his wife Tina, and took months to organise.