Simon Cowell has not spoken to Sir Philip Green in over three years, friends stressed last night, as celebrities linked to the businessman named as being at the centre of Britain’s #Metoo scandal declined to back him.

Cowell and Sir Philip were close friends, and in 2010 announced they were going into business together, although they are not believed to have gone through with the plans.

Sources close to Cowell said that the music mogul and The X Factor boss had lost all respect for the retail tycoon over his handling of the collapse of BHS.

Other one time associates were silent last night after Sir Philip was forced to deny unlawful sexual or racist behaviour.

Kate Moss, who has twice worked with Sir Philip on Topshop lines, was photographed at Heathrow Airport on Friday but said nothing about the furore.

Representatives for the super model did not respond to requests for comment, and neither did those for singer Rita Ora, who was pictured at Milan Airport.

There was also no reply from the agent of Cara Delvinge, the model-turned-actress who became the face of Topshop in 2014 and who last year claimed to have been sexually harassed by Harvey Weinstein.

It was the same story from those representing models Naomi Campbell and Suki Waterhouse and actresses Gwyneth Paltrow, Sienna Miller, Kate Hudson and Kate Bosworth.