Simon Cowell had back surgery. He will skip live episodes of America's Got Talent for a few weeks while he gets better after the routine procedure. Reports appeared on Monday, August 24, 2026. USA Today, Entertainment Weekly, and Yahoo News Canada all published the news. He is stepping aside. The break is specifically for live broadcasts.
TMZ, TV Insider, and talentrecap.com also wrote about his health update. Cowell needs time. He takes a period of a few weeks off to get better. Recovery is expected to take several weeks.