Simon Cowell underwent back surgery. He will miss live episodes of America's Got Talent for a few weeks while he gets better after the routine procedure. Reports surfaced on Monday, August 24, 2026. USA Today, Entertainment Weekly, and Yahoo News Canada all carried the story. He is stepping aside. The absence is specifically for live broadcasts.
TMZ, TV Insider, and talentrecap.com also shared updates about his recovery process. Cowell needs time. He takes a period of a few weeks off to heal up. Recovery should take several weeks.