Simon Cowell’s temporary replacement on America’s Got Talent has been revealed as the longtime judge recovers from a routine back procedure.
To undergo routine back surgery, the 66-year-old Cowell has stepped away from the reality competition TV show for some time, with various guest judges scheduled to take his place during his absence.
Kenan Thompson Named Simon Cowell’s First AGT Replacement
48-year-old comedian Kenan Thompson will serve as the guest judge for the third round of AGT’s live quarterfinals on Tuesday, September 1.
“Comedy great to replace a judge!” America’s Got Talent announced on Instagram alongside a photo of Kenan Thompson. “Kenan Thompson has agreed to guest judge AGT! We’re all looking forward to it.”
Kenan Thompson Returns to the AGT Judges’ Table
Kenan Thompson will become one of the members of the judges’ panel together with Howie Mandel, Sofía Vergara and Mel B, as well as presenter Terry Crews.
This will not be Thompson’s first time filling in for Cowell. He previously served as a guest judge during AGT’s live quarterfinals in August 2020, when Cowell was recovering from a serious electric-bike accident.
The comedian, who won an Emmy nomination, has appeared long on Saturday Night Live and was the main character in Kenan & Kel, a sitcom with Kel Mitchell, an actor that he has often collaborated with.
This year, he had another movie collaboration in Scary Movie along with Marlon Wayans, Anna Faris and Regina Hall.
Simon Cowell’s Back Injury Dates Back to 2020
Simon Cowell has been in the operating room a number of times in the wake of his back injury when his electric skateboard crashed in April, 2020, an accident that demanded six hours of surgical procedure.
The aftermath of an e-bike accident in early 2020 left Cowell with two fractured vertebrae. He had to sit out the whole 2020 season of Britain’s Got Talent, which was replaced by a temporary judge, former winner Ashley Banjo, in the absence of Cowell.
Simon shared with Cowell in 2022 that he escaped his accident by sheer luck, adding, “I just didn’t talk much at that time. I had my story kept to myself. That was the reality of it; the worst part of everyone is mine. I had some long-term nerve damage as well.”
He said, “If ever, lockdown helped anyone, it probably did me best because it gave me the time for my body to recover, as no TV show was there to interfere with. I could do lots of walking and, at the same time, strengthen my legs.”
In the same year, Cowell had another accident involving an e-bike that left him in hospital, where he was diagnosed with a broken arm and bruised face, among other possible symptoms like concussion.
Although more severe, the accident that resulted in the spinal injury was less serious than Cowell’s first bike accident with an electric skateboard. Nevertheless, Cowell left the hospital the very day he had been admitted.
