Simon Cowell is briefly stepping away from "America's Got Talent" to focus on his health.
The "AGT" judge and executive producer will be absent from Season 21's live shows for several weeks as he undergoes a routine back surgery, USA TODAY can confirm.
While Cowell, 66, recovers from the procedure, a group of guest judges are expected to fill his place. The "AGT" team is currently in the process of scheduling the celebrity guests, but no names have been announced.
TMZ was first to report the news.
It's not the first time the television host has undergone back surgery. Cowell broke his back in multiple places while riding an e-bike in the courtyard of his Malibu, California home in 2020. The crash led to a six-hour surgery that included the placement
of a metal rod in his back. He called the injury "painful" during a 2023 interview on the "Today" show, adding, "I was so unfit before the accident.” Cowell also broke his arm while riding an e-bike in 2022.
Despite his many injuries, Cowell still maintained a sense of humor about using e-bikes. “If you buy an electric trail bike, read the manual before you ride it for the first time,” Cowell joked in a 2023 social media post.
Cowell, known for his discovery of One Direction and Fifth Harmony on "The X Factor," and Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood on "American Idol," has served as a judge on "AGT" since Season 11 in 2016.
Ahead of the currently airing Season 21, Cowell spoke to USA TODAY in May about his initial nerves of being on camera after serving as an executive producer for the first 11 seasons.
"When I first started, I was really nervous about just being on camera," he said. "I had no desire to do that in my life. I did it because I was asked to do it. I was really conscious that if the show doesn't work, I've made a really bad mistake."
But now, Cowell can't imagine his life in any other way.
"We are definitely seeing better people coming to audition. The acts have gotten better. That's the most important thing and really what the show relies on each year," Cowell said. "I judge [the show's] success by going into Vegas and seeing how many people from the shows have ended up there."
Season 21 of "America's Got Talent' kicked off on June 2 and is currently airing its live shows to determine which acts make it to the Sept. 23 finale. In addition to Cowell, Howie Mandel, Sofía Vergara and Heidi Klum serve as judges, while Terry Crews hosts.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Simon Cowell to undergo surgery, will be out of 'America's Got Talent' for weeks
