Simon Cowell’s near-fatal e-bike accident is once again demanding his attention, six years after the terrifying crash left him facing the possibility that he might never walk again.
The music mogul is reportedly preparing to undergo another back operation after suffering devastating injuries in 2020.
The latest procedure could force Cowell to step away from “America’s Got Talent” for several weeks, bringing an unwelcome reminder of the accident that transformed his health, lifestyle and attitude toward taking risks.
The crash that changed Simon Cowell’s life happened at his Malibu home in 2020, when the music executive was testing an electric bike he had shipped over from England.
The situation began as excitement over trying out the new vehicle but quickly became a medical emergency after Cowell pulled the throttle and the bike suddenly lifted.
“I shipped it in from England, couldn’t wait to drive it. I was in the driveway and my son was there and I pulled the throttle, it did the biggest wheelie and it threw me like 7-8ft in the air,” he recalled on “Elizabeth Day on the How To Fail” podcast in 2025.
Cowell landed directly on his back and immediately realized something was seriously wrong. “I landed on my back and the second I landed I thought “sh-t, I know I’ve broken my back” because I could feel it,” he said.
He underwent extensive surgery, including the insertion of a metal rod to stabilize his spine. Now, six years later, TMZ reports that another procedure could keep him away from “America’s Got Talent” for several weeks.
Cowell Was Warned He Might Never Walk Again
The seriousness of Simon Cowell’s injuries became clearer after he reached the hospital. His surgeon reportedly feared the damage was so extensive that repairing his back might not be possible.
During the chat, the TV personality revealed the chilling warning he received after doctors examined his X-ray.
“He showed me the X-ray and he said, ‘Look, I’m not going to lie Simon, I don’t know if I can fix this, which means you probably won’t walk and secondly, the operation could take 11 hours,’” Cowell shared.
The possibility of paralysis forced him to confront how close he had come to losing far more than his career.
He later described the accident as a major “wake-up call” after years of what he called a “crazy” lifestyle. The lengthy recovery also showed him just how physically vulnerable he had become.
Simon Cowell Overhauled His Lifestyle After His Spine Injury
Cowell’s recovery did not end when he left the operating room. Rehabilitation forced him to rebuild basic physical abilities, including walking, and the experience became a turning point in how he treated his body.
Looking back, he admitted that he had believed he was fit before the accident, only to discover how quickly that could change.
“It was a wake-up moment, which is I’m crazy,” Cowell explained. He recalled struggling during physiotherapy before gradually becoming more mobile.
According to him, “It kind of happened for a reason because I thought I was fit but then when I had to do all the physio after, just walking, they make you walk very quickly, I pretty much couldn’t move and then I started to walk a lot and thought, ‘Oh God, I was in a really bad place.’”
The crash also pushed him to make major lifestyle changes. He has reportedly lost three stones and gradually gave up smoking, despite once consuming as many as 80 cigarettes a day.
Meta Titles
Cowell Suffered Another E-Bike Crash Years After His First
Although Simon Cowell had already rebuilt his strength after the accident that left him with a serious back injury, his relationship with electric bikes took another painful turn in early 2022.
Just over a year after his first crash, the 66-year-old was hospitalized again after falling from an e-bike near his home in London.
He said the accident happened when he turned a corner in the rain, and the bike’s “wheels just went under me.” Cowell told ITV News that he “doesn’t remember much” about the fall but was grateful to passersby who stopped traffic and helped him get medical attention.
He suffered a broken arm and facial injuries and was also believed to have suffered a concussion. The second accident was particularly concerning because Cowell was still recovering from his previous spinal injury.
He was reportedly not wearing a helmet when he crashed, which became a major concern for his family.
His then-seven-year-old son, Eric, apparently made his feelings very clear. Cowell recalled that Eric gave him “the biggest telling off,” with the young boy particularly upset that his father had not protected his head.
Cowell nevertheless insisted he was not ready to abandon cycling, saying, “I’m OK,” and promising, “I’ll definitely wear a helmet next time.”
Simon Cowell Reveals How Son Eric Changed His Priorities
The repeated health scares that forced Cowell to confront his physical limits also came alongside a much broader change in his personal life: fatherhood.
The entrepreneur has repeatedly said that having Eric transformed the way he viewed his career and the amount of time he devoted to work.
In a 2025 interview with PEOPLE, he reflected on the possibility of Eric eventually becoming involved with “America’s Got Talent,” saying, “I think he’d actually be a really good producer.”
Cowell admitted that his son was more reserved than he was and “more shy,” meaning he might not necessarily want to appear on camera.
However, if Eric chose to work behind the scenes, Cowell said, “I would definitely encourage him to produce. I would love that. I mean, that would be my dream.”
