Simon Cowell Recovering From Back Surgery After Bike Accident

Variety Staff
·2 min read

UPDATE: Simon Cowell is recovering from a back surgery following a bike accident at his California home.

The surgery lasted five hours and took place overnight on Saturday. A source told People that a metal rod was inserted into his back. “The injuries are bad but he’s also been told he was lucky,” the source told People.

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The Syco Entertainment chief and “America’s Got Talent” judge was hospitalized on Saturday night after injuring his back in a biking accident in Malibu, Calif.

“Simon had a fall from his bike on Saturday afternoon whilst testing his new electric bike in the courtyard at his house in Malibu with his family,” a spokesperson told Variety. “He hurt his back and was taken to hospital. He’s doing fine, he’s under observation and is in the best possible hands.”

Cowell is a music and TV entrepreneur best known as the creator and a judge on NBC’s “America’s Got Talent.” He came to fame in the U.S. in the early 2000s as a judge on Fox’s “American Idol.” Cowell is also behind the global editions of the “Got Talent” format as well as another competition series, “The X Factor.”

A representative for Cowell declined to comment on how his recovery will affect production of “America’s Got Talent,” which is in the middle of its 15th season at NBC. The latest summer season premiered on May 26. Cowell has been scratched from Tuesday and Wednesday’s live telecasts of “America’s Got Talent.”

Through his various TV shows, he’s helped kickstart the careers of several artists, most notably the boy band One Direction and singer Susan Boyle. In the current season of “America’s Got Talent,” he’s be joined by fellow judges Heidi Klum, Sofia Vergara, Howie Mandel and host Terry Crews.

Cowell has been under fire in recent months after former “America’s Got Talent” judge Gabrielle Union accused him of inappropriate actions while she worked on the show. In July, Syco took full control of the television and music joint venture that Cowell launched in 2009.

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