[REVISION HISTORY]

Simon Cowell medical absence from Got Talent franchise

Updated 5 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-09-25 04:58 UTC → 2026-09-27 16:43 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Simon Cowell medical absence from ~~America's~~ Got Talent franchise

Simon Cowell is expected to miss several weeks of filming for America’s Got Talent to undergo a routine back procedure. The surgery addresses long-standing medical concerns resulting from a 2020 electric bike accident in Malibu that caused multiple spinal fractures. A representative confirmed the procedure is non-emergency. To fill his seat on the judging panel during his recovery, Kenan Thompson was announced as a guest judge starting Tuesday, September 1. Thompson, a long-time cast member of ‘Saturday Night Live’, previously served as a guest judge during the 2020 quarterfinals. He joins existing judges Howie Mandel, Sofia Vergara, and Mel B. Heidi Klum is scheduled to return to the judging panel for a special guest appearance on September 8. Klum, a former regular judge on the series, will participate in a three-hour spectacular episode on NBC. This extended broadcast will combine quarterfinal performances and live results into a single night to determine which 16 acts will continue competing for the million-dollar prize. Fellow judge Howie Mandel informed E! News that Cowell has undergone successful surgery, stating that “everything’s okay.” Cowell, 66, has faced ongoing health challenges following his 2020 accident, which he previously described as being “a lot worse than people thought,” involving long-term nerve damage. Cowell ultimately missed the Season 21 finale on September 22 while continuing his recovery. During the broadcast, host Terry Crews read a video message sent by Cowell, in which the executive producer expressed his well wishes to the finalists and noted his sadness at not being able to attend in person. For the finale, influencer and musician KSI joined the judging panel alongside Howie Mandel, Sofia Vergara, and Mel B.

Versions

Only revisions since CLSTR began indexing content versions appear here. Select a version to see what changed compared to the one before it.