Will Simon Cowell Be Back on ‘AGT’ for the Finale? Update on His Back Injury

The two-night finals of America’s Got Talent season 15 begin on Tuesday, September 22. Since the start of the season’s live shows, beloved judge and AGT executive producer Simon Cowell has been absent from the show while he recovers from a broken back injury he sustained just days before the live shows were scheduled to begin.

With only two episodes left in the AGT season, it is unclear if Cowell will make an appearance in the finale or choose instead to watch the show from the comfort and privacy of his home as he continues to recover from surgery.

Cowell’s Fellow Judges Teased His Return for the ‘America’s Got Talent’ Finals

According to Mirror, AGT judge Heidi Klum teased that fans should expect to see Cowell on the show before the season comes to an end; he said, “He is going to come to the finale, but do not tell anyone.” Seeming to echo Klum’s statement, Howie Mandel said, “I would not count out seeing Simon again before this season’s end.” The two did not specify if they were expecting Cowell to appear in-person or over Zoom; however, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and strict social distancing guidelines in place on-set at AGT, it seems most likely that Cowell, if he appears at all during the finals, will do so virtually.

In an interview with The Sun, Cowell’s fellow Britain’s Got Talent judge Amanda Holden suggested that she thought he’d return to their show before it’s conclusion in a virtual capacity. She said, “I know one of our producers spoke to him earlier this week and says he sounds amazing, really well,” later adding,” If I was a betting woman, I would say he will be back for the final in some form because I don’t think he could bear to miss it. But at the moment we are acting like he’s not coming and doing the best we can without him.” She suggested that if he does make it back before the season’s end, she thinks “he will do it live by Zoom.”

According to Mirror, a source close to Cowell said that his return for the finale of America’s Got Talent was “very unlikely.”

Cowell’s Back Surgery Took Place Just 6 Weeks Before the Season 15 ‘AGT’ Finale

If Cowell does show up during the season 15 finale, that will be especially impressive considering he underwent a 6-hour back surgery only 6 weeks prior. Cowell took to social media to share the news of his unexpected and scary injury. On August 9, he wrote on Twitter and Instagram, “Some good advice… If you buy an electric trail bike, read the manual before you ride it for the first time. I have broken part of my back. Thank you to everyone for your kind messages. And a massive thank you to all the nurses and doctors. Some of the nicest people I have ever met. Stay safe everyone. Simon.”

When Cowell first revealed that he had an accident and underwent surgery for a broken back, Heavy asked a source close to Cowell and his family about what the injury meant for his return to America’s Got Talent season 15. At the time, the source told Heavy, “It’s very much a case of taking it day by day but everyone is optimistic and hopeful for him to be able [to] return before the end of the season.”

New episodes of America’s Got Talent season 15 air live on Tuesday and Wednesday nights at 8 p.m. Eastern time/7 p.m. Central time on NBC.

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