Kenan Thompson to replace Simon Cowell on America's Got Talent
Kenan Thompson will temporarily replace Simon Cowell on America's Got Talent while the judge recovers from back surgery. NBC announced the Saturday Night Live star as a guest judge for Tuesday's Season 21 episode. Cowell is stepping away for weeks to address lingering back issues tied to his 2020 electric bike accident. The swap keeps the competition moving as Simon Cowell's America's Got Talent absence enters its third week of quarterfinals.
Key Takeaways
- Kenan Thompson was announced Saturday as Simon Cowell's temporary replacement via the show's Instagram account.
- Cowell is recovering from back surgery linked to injuries from a 2020 e-bike crash in Malibu, California.
- Thompson, 48, will join Sofía Vergara, Howie Mandel and Mel B on Tuesday's Season 21 episode.
- The comedian previously filled in for Cowell as a guest judge in 2020 after the same accident.
- It remains unclear whether Thompson will appear in the five remaining episodes or if other guest judges will step in.
Why is Simon Cowell missing America's Got Talent?
Simon Cowell is stepping away from the judges' table to undergo and recover from a procedure addressing ongoing back issues. Earlier this month, Fox News reported that the longtime judge would miss a few weeks of AGT filming while he undergoes and recovers from the operation.
Cowell's back troubles trace to August 2020, when he fell off an electric bike in a Malibu courtyard and landed on his back. An insider said at the time that his back broke in multiple places, causing massive pain. He was transported to a hospital, where he underwent a six-hour surgery and had a metal rod placed in his spine.
The former American Idol judge missed a majority of Season 15 after the accident. Reflecting on the incident in a 2021 interview with People, Cowell said breaking his back "wasn't great for 3 to 4 weeks but after that you get through it." He also suffered another e-bike injury in 2022 that led to a broken arm.
Who is filling in for Simon Cowell on AGT?
Comedian Kenan Thompson was announced as Cowell's temporary replacement on the forthcoming AGT episode. "A comedy legend is taking over the Judges' table!" the NBC competition series posted on Instagram Saturday alongside a photo of the Saturday Night Live star. The caption continued: "Kenan Thompson is joining AGT as a guest Judge!"
Thompson has been an SNL cast member since 2003. He also starred in the 1997 comedy Good Burger and the late-1990s TV series Kenan & Kel. He will appear on Season 21 alongside fellow judges Sofía Vergara, Howie Mandel and Mel B on Tuesday.
Has Kenan Thompson replaced Simon Cowell before?
Yes. Thompson previously stepped in as a guest judge in 2020 when Cowell, 66, broke his back during the electric bike accident. That makes him a familiar face for AGT fans who watched Season 15 without its toughest judge at the table.
At the time of Cowell's 2020 accident, he was out with his longtime partner, Lauren Silverman, and their now-12-year-old son, Eric. The injury forced major changes to that season's live shows — and now history is repeating as Thompson returns to the panel.
When will Simon Cowell return to the judges' table?
Fox News reported earlier in August that Cowell would miss a few weeks of AGT to recover from the procedure. Page Six noted it is unclear whether Thompson will judge the five remaining Season 21 episodes or whether other surprise judges will step in during Cowell's absence.
America's Got Talent airs Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC. For more celebrity TV updates, visit our Celebrity Breaking News hub. Read the full report at Page Six.