By Amber Goodhand - Breaking Celebrity News Reporter

Simon Cowell showed his softer side when he got engaged to fiancée Mezhgan Hussainy 19 months ago, so why aren’t they married yet?

According to an exclusive with Star magazine, the hard-nosed judge isn’t getting cold feet — he’s just too busy with work to find the time.

“I’m not going to lie — everything this year has been about working on The X Factor,” Simon told Star.

“It has probably been the busiest year I’ve ever had.”

As Breaking Celebrity News was first to report, Simon, 51, and Mezhgan got engaged in February 2010, but since giving up his seat as an American Idol judge to bring The X Factor to America, his impending marriage has been put on the backburner.

“Making the choice to get married is something you just have to decide when the time is right,” Simon said.

To find out what Simon had to say about his X Factor co-judge Paula Abdul, pick up the new issue of Star magazine on newsstands Thursday.