Simon Cowell health update came from fellow judge Howie Mandel on Thursday, September 3, when the 70‑year‑old comedian told E! News that the music mogul is hours out of a routine back surgery.

According to Mandel, the operation was a success and “everything’s okay,” adding that the 66‑year‑old judge is expected to recover quickly.

He noted he hasn’t called the star yet but plans to visit “as soon as he’s feeling better,” and expressed hope that Cowell will return before the America’s Got Talent season‑21 finale.

The back procedure forced Cowell to step away from the judges’ table for a few weeks, prompting Kenan Thompson to sit in earlier this week while Heidi Klum is set to rejoin the panel shortly.

New episodes of the competition air Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 8/7c on NBC, with the following day’s shows available for streaming on Peacock.

Fans can look forward to seeing the judge back in action as the series closes out, according to sources close to the production.