America’s Got Talent judge Simon Cowell has been released from the hospital one week after undergoing surgery to repair a broken back. Cowell broke his back August 8 after falling while testing an electric bike in the courtyard of his Malibu, California, home.
The 60-year-old underwent a five-hour surgery to repair several breaks and insert a metal rod in his back.
“Simon had surgery overnight and is doing okay this morning. It was a five-hour surgery and he has had to have a number of fusions and metal rod put into his back,” the source told PEOPLE. “He landed on his back when he fell from the bike. The injuries are bad but he’s also been told he was lucky.”
Good Morning America reported that the impact missed his spine by less than one centimeter.
On Sunday (August 16), Cowell’s representative confirmed to USA Today that the star had been released from the hospital and returned home to Malibu on Saturday. A friend of Cowell’s told PEOPLE that he is up and around much sooner than doctors anticipated.
“He’s been able to walk quite a lot and quicker than the experts had expected him to do after this type of major surgery, which is a great sign for the healing coming along well,” the friend said.
Simon missed the first week of America’s Got Talent live shows due to the accident, and was temporarily replaced by Kelly Clarkson. It is unclear when Cowell will return to AGT, but the AGT production team reportedly sent the judge a giant X and a Golden Buzzer for him to use while watching from the hospital.
We continue to wish Simon Cowell a full and speedy recovery!