Howie Mandel offers Simon Cowell health update amid America’s Got Talent absence

Simon Cowell’s recent back surgery was a “success”, according to his fellow America's Got Talent judge Howie Mandel. Cowell, 66, has undergone a series of operations in recent years after he broke his back in an electric bike accident in 2020. News on Thursday, September 3, 70-year-old Mandel revealed that at that point Cowell was “just hours out of surgery”.

He added: “I heard that it was a success, everything’s okay.” Kenan Thompson filled in for Cowell on the talent show this week, with Heidi Klum set to take his place next week. Mandel joked that he hadn’t yet spoken to Cowell because: “I don't know that, this close to surgery, if this is the first thing you need to see.” The comedian added that he “can't wait to see him and visit him and give him my best wishes.” Cowell’s injuries stopped him from appearing in the 2020 season of Britain’s Got Talent. He was temporarily replaced by the show’s previous winner Ashley Banjo.

After he recovered, Cowell said he was “lucky to survive” the ordeal. He told OK! magazine in 2022: “I didn’t talk about it too much at the time. It was a lot worse than people thought.

I had a lot of long-term nerve damage as well.” He admitted: “If there was one good thing about lockdown, it was that it gave me the time to heal because I wasn’t working on a TV show. I was able to walk a lot and strengthen my legs.” New subscribers only. £9.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled.

This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. In 2022, the TV personality had another e-bike crash that saw him hospitalized with a broken arm, badly bruised cheek and possible concussion. However, the injuries were not as serious as his first accident and he was released from the hospital that same day.

Cowell is known for his brutally honest judging style on reality competitions like AGT, The X Factor and American Idol. He is also hailed as a successful talent scout, having put together massive acts like One Direction and Fifth Harmony. AGT’s current season 21 marks Cowell’s eleventh season as a judge on the show, although he has been an executive producer since the show’s creation in 2006.