Simon Cowell is having back surgery and will be out for several weeks, missing a stretch of America’s Got Talent’s live shows during Season 21. TMZ first reported the news on Aug. 23, 2026, and multiple entertainment outlets followed up. Cowell’s representative confirmed to Entertainment Weekly on Aug. 24 that the procedure is routine and said he will be back in a few weeks: “Obviously medical matters are private, but it’s routine and he will be back in a few weeks.”
Key facts
- What: Simon Cowell is having back surgery and will miss several weeks of AGT’s Season 21 live shows.
- Statement: His representative told Entertainment Weekly this week that it’s “routine” and he’ll be back in a few weeks; Cowell himself hasn’t commented publicly.
- Schedule: Quarterfinals began Aug. 18; a special episode airs Sept. 8; semifinals run Sept. 15-16; the finale is Sept. 22-23.
- Background: Cowell broke his back in an August 2020 e-bike accident and had spinal fusion surgery; reporting links the new operation to that injury.
- Unresolved: No replacement judge has been named for his seat.
Live show schedule
Who takes his seat at the judging table isn’t decided yet, and that question will hang over the season’s live shows, which are already underway.
- Aug. 18, 2026 — Quarterfinals began.
- Sept. 8 — A special three-hour episode airs, including instant voting.
- Sept. 15-16 — Semifinals.
- Sept. 22-23 — Two-part finale.
No source has said whether Cowell will be back in his chair by then; his team has said only that he expects to return within a few weeks.
The 2020 back injury
In August 2020, Cowell broke his back testing an electric bike at his Malibu home and underwent roughly six hours of fusion surgery that placed a metal rod and screws in his spine — he’s dealt with back problems ever since. Reporting links the current operation to that injury; the exact procedure hasn’t been made public. TMZ, which first reported the surgery, says its sources see no sign of a new or worsening health emergency.
Judges’ Callbacks episodes
A different, already-wrapped storyline preceded this: on Aug. 4 and 11, AGT paired each judge with celebrity guests for a two-episode “Judges’ Callbacks” format, with Cowell working alongside Normani and Poo Bear. Those episodes aired before the surgery was announced.
Who takes his seat
Some reports say the rest of the panel — Howie Mandel, Sofía Vergara and Mel B — will simply cover the judging table without him. Others say AGT is still working to book an outside guest judge for his chair. Either way, no name has been confirmed as of this week, and how the show will handle his empty seat for the live rounds ahead is still not settled.