Fans tuning in to America’s Got Talent immediately noticed something unusual at the judges’ table.

Simon Cowell’s chair was empty.

Now, the reason behind his sudden absence has been confirmed.

The 66-year-old television personality is stepping away from the show for several weeks as he undergoes another procedure on his back.

Cowell’s representative has stressed that the surgery is routine and that he is expected to return in a few weeks.

But the situation carries history that longtime fans will remember.

In 2020, Cowell suffered a devastating accident while testing an electric bike at his Malibu home. He broke his back and underwent major surgery involving spinal fusions and the placement of a metal rod.

Cowell later revealed just how close the accident came to having even more serious consequences and said he experienced long-term nerve damage afterward.

Six years later, those back problems are once again requiring medical attention.

During Cowell’s first missed live AGT show, host Terry Crews reassured viewers that the operation was not an emergency, while explaining that it was something that could no longer be postponed.

And fans now know who will occupy Simon’s famous seat for at least one upcoming show.

Saturday Night Live veteran Kenan Thompson has been announced as a guest judge while Cowell recovers. Thompson previously stepped in for Cowell during an earlier absence.

For now, there is no exact date for Simon’s return.

But his representatives have made one thing clear: this is expected to be temporary, and Simon plans to return to the judges’ table.

For viewers who have watched Cowell deliver his famously blunt opinions for decades, America’s Got Talent certainly feels different without him sitting behind that desk.