Simon Cowell’s temporary replacement on America’s Got Talent has been announced.
Kenan Thompson, 48, will take the reins from Cowell, 66, as the British judge recovers from a medical procedure.
“A comedy legend is taking over the Judges’ table! Kenan Thompson is joining AGT as a guest Judge! 🎉 Don’t miss his guest appearance Tuesday, September 1 at 8/7c on @NBC,” America’s Got Talent announced via its official Instagram account on Friday, August 28, alongside a photo of Thompson.
AGT features Cowell as a judge alongside Howie Mandel, Sofía Vergara, and Mel B, while Terry Crews hosts the show.
Per a Thursday, August 27 article on NBC.com, Crews, 58, addressed Cowell’s absence during the Quarterfinals Round 2 episode.
“He’s having an operation that cannot be postponed. It’s not an emergency, but it can’t be put off,” Crews explained. “Simon, we are sending you our very best wishes for speedy recovery, and we’re looking forward to seeing you back at the Judges desk very soon.”
According to multiple outlets, Cowell is reportedly taking time off to undergo back surgery, stemming from an injury he first sustained in an e-bike accident in 2020.
Cowell opened up about the injury while speaking to Extra in 2020.
“It could have been a lot worse. When I saw the X-ray, I really nearly smashed my spine to pieces, so I literally wouldn’t [have] been able to walk,” he told the outlet. “I knew I’d broken my back the minute I landed, it was really, really kind of sudden and it hurt.”
He continued: “You’re not supposed to move.”
Despite knowing that moving himself could have negative consequences, Cowell recalled what was going through his head at the time of the accident.
“I was thinking, ‘I’ve got to get back into the house because I can’t lie there’…and made myself kind of get carried into my bedroom, which is right there at the beginning of the house, and I’m lying there and I’m kind of passing out…It was surreal,” he said.
Appearing on The Kelly Clarkson Show in June 2021, Cowell shared more details of the accident — which occurred in front of his then 6-year-old son Eric, whom he shares with his partner Lauren Silverman.
“I was a millimeter away from breaking my spine, which would’ve been a disaster,” he told Clarkson. “In a weird way, it was kind of meant to happen because I was really pushing my luck. I was buying these crazy, crazy bikes and this particular bike I bought had so much power, I was thrown about eight feet in the air, landed on my back, in front of Eric, by the way.”
