Simon Cowell says he ‘nearly smashed his spine to pieces’ in bike accident

In August 2020, he was rushed to hospital to undergo six hours of surgery after an electric bike accident at his Malibu home.   

And now, six months on, Simon Cowell, 61, has spoken out about breaking his back for the first time since the shock incident, revealing: ‘I nearly smashed my spine to pieces!’

The X Factor boss also admitted that he ‘couldn’t have gotten through’ it without girlfriend Lauren Silverman, 43, and son Eric, 7, who sweetly branded him ‘iron man’ when he first saw his dad with metal rods and screws in his back following surgery.

Speaking out: Simon Cowell, 61, has spoken out about breaking his back for the first time since his electric bike accident last August, revealing: ‘I nearly smashed my spine to pieces!’

Speaking to ex-girlfriend Terri Seymour on Extra, Simon said: ‘It could have been a lot worse. When I saw the X-ray, I really nearly could have smashed my spine to pieces, so I literally wouldn’t have been able to walk.’

He recalled: ‘I knew I’d broken my back the minute I landed. It was really, really kind of sudden and it hurt.’

Simon explained, ‘You’re not supposed to move,’ but, that wasn’t the X Factor boss’ thought process at the time.

He continued: ‘I was thinking, “I’ve got to get back into the house because I can’t lie there”… and made myself kind of get carried into my bedroom, which is right there at the beginning of the house… And I’m lying there and I’m kind of passing out… It was surreal.’

Painful: Simon broke his back in August after falling from his electric bike, prompting him to undergo a six-hour surgery to try and fix the injuries (Pictured in April 2020)

Painful: Simon broke his back in August after falling from his electric bike, prompting him to undergo a six-hour surgery to try and fix the injuries (Pictured in April 2020)

Grateful: The X Factor boss also admitted that he 'couldn't have gotten through' it without girlfriend Lauren Silverman, 43, and son Eric, 7

Grateful: The X Factor boss also admitted that he ‘couldn’t have gotten through’ it without girlfriend Lauren Silverman, 43, and son Eric, 7

Speaking about his time in hospital, the BGT judge gushed about the support he received from his girlfriend Lauren and their son.  

Simon noted to Terri: ‘In fact, you and Lauren [Silverman] were outside the hospital all night long, I remember.’

Terri told him: ‘Lauren was amazing, running around after you, nursing you back to health,’ to which Simon gushed: ‘She was amazing.

‘Both her and Eric, they were like my support. I couldn’t have gotten through it without them, so we got closer.’

Honest: Simon explained that his return home from the hospital wasn’t easy, with the TV personality worried about his son’s reaction 

Simon explained that his return home from the hospital wasn’t easy, with the TV personality worried about his son’s reaction.

He said: ‘The hardest thing was, and I said this to Lauren when I came out of the hospital… I was so embarrassed about coming home looking about 100 because I couldn’t walk, and I have these metal rods in my back and these screws…

‘I said, ‘Lauren, I just don’t know how to explain it to [Eric].’ She obviously said something to him because he came in… and I was lying in bed and he said, ‘Daddy, you’re like Ironman,’ and I thought that was the sweetest thing and it meant a lot.’

Candid: Simon confessed that toughest part of recovery was 'the helplessness' which spurred him on to make a fitness commitment to himself

Candid: Simon confessed that toughest part of recovery was ‘the helplessness’ which spurred him on to make a fitness commitment to himself

Simon confessed that toughest part of recovery was ‘the helplessness’ which spurred him on to make a fitness commitment to himself.

He said: ‘I’ve never been in this situation in my life where you literally can’t move. The pain was off the charts… But you’ve got to stay positive…

‘I made a promise to myself I’d be fitter than I was before I had the accident. Sure enough, that’s what happened.’

Now, six months later, Simon is back to work, and he admits he’s proud that America’s Got Talent carried on without him.

He laughed: ‘They were almost too good. I was watching the show thinking, “Can you not be great?” and they were great.

‘What I did realize, there were no red buzzers throughout the live shows… None of them would use them.’

Terri commented” ‘So that will change this season. The buzzers will get put to good use,’ to which Simon responded: ‘They will get used a bit more, I would probably guess.’  

On the mend: Now, six months later, Simon is back to work, and he admits he's proud that America's Got Talent carried on without him

On the mend: Now, six months later, Simon is back to work, and he admits he’s proud that America’s Got Talent carried on without him

The electric bike accident last August occurred when the powerful machine ‘flew up in the air and did an accidental wheelie’ after he tried to change gears. 

Following the accident, Simon tweeted: ‘Some good advice… If you buy an electric trail bike, read the manual before you ride it for the first time.’

He went on: ‘I have broken part of my back. Thank you to everyone for your kind messages.’

He then added in a second tweet: ‘And a massive thank you to all the nurses and doctors. Some of the nicest people I have ever met. Stay safe everyone Simon.’