Music mogul Simon Cowell was hospitalised on Saturday after breaking his back at his Malibu, California, home.
The ‘America’s Got Talent’ judge and executive producer was reportedly testing out a new electric bicycle in the courtyard of his home when he fell off the vehicle. He was then taken to the hospital where he underwent surgery later in the evening.
A spokesperson told People that the 60-year-old is “doing fine” after the accident.
“Simon has broken his back and will be having surgery this evening,” Cowell’s representative told the outlet. “He’s doing fine, he’s under observation and is in the best possible hands.”
In May, Cowell said he was enjoying spending more family time with his girlfriend, Lauren Silverman, and their son, Eric, during the coronavirus lockdown, including backyard camping adventures and cooking.
He told Extra TV that he was “sticking to his diet” and exercise routine that he incorporated into his life after he took a tumble down the stairs of his London home back in 2017.
The scary incident was a wake-up call that made him take a look at some of his unhealthy habits, he said.
“Sometimes we get a reminder that we’re not invincible and this was certainly mine. It was a huge shock,” he told The Sun at the time. “I have got to really take good care of myself to sort that out.”
Cowell is set to film the first live show for the 15th season of “America’s Got Talent” on Tuesday. It’s unclear whether he’ll still make an appearance on the newly formed judging panel, which now includes himself, Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum and newcomer Sofia Vergara, after his most recent fall.
Production on the series shut down in March due to the coronavirus pandemic, but resumed in late June with increased safety precautions. The show will now be filmed at an outdoor stage in Simi Valley, instead of its usual location at the Dolby Theatre, and the judges will watch performances in chairs spaced 6 feet apart.