Simon Cowell’s First Replacement Judge on “America’s Got Talent” Is Revealed

Deirdre DurkanFri, August 28, 2026 at 10:35 PM UTC

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(Left to right) Howie Mandel, Mel B, Sofia Vergara and Simon CowellCredit: Chris Haston/NBC -

Kenan Thompson will serve as a guest judge on AGT while Simon Cowell recovers from a routine back procedure

Thompson previously filled in for Cowell in 2020 after the judge suffered a serious electric bike accident

The Saturday Night Live star joins the judges’ table during a pivotal quarterfinals round airing Sept. 1 on NBC

America’s Got Talent has found someone to keep Simon Cowell’s seat warm.

Kenan Thompson will join the judges’ table as a guest judge for the third round of quarterfinals on Tuesday, Sept. 1, while Cowell steps away from the NBC competition series to undergo a routine procedure related to his back.

The show confirmed the news on Instagram on Friday, Aug. 28, announcing that the Saturday Night Live star would be joining AGT as a guest judge.

Thompson, 48, will sit alongside Howie Mandel, Sofía Vergara and Mel B at the judges’ table as the season 21 competition continues.

Kenan Thompson on March 30, 2026 in New York CityCredit: Slaven Vlasic/Getty

It won’t be Thompson’s first time filling Cowell’s seat. The comedian previously served as an AGT guest judge in August 2020 after Cowell broke his back in an electric bike accident and was forced to miss several live shows. At the time, Thompson joined Mandel, Vergara and then-judge Heidi Klum for the second week of live quarterfinals.

His return comes as Cowell, 66, once again takes a temporary break from his America’s Got Talent duties to address issues related to his back.

PEOPLE previously confirmed that the series creator and judge would miss a couple of weeks of filming while undergoing the procedure. A spokesperson for Cowell told Entertainment Weekly that the surgery is “routine” and that he is expected to return in a few weeks.

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Cowell’s absence was addressed during the Aug. 25 live show, when his chair remained empty and Mandel, Vergara and Mel B judged the competition as a trio. An exact date for Cowell’s return has not been announced.

Cowell’s latest surgery comes six years after the serious electric bike accident at his Malibu home that left him with a broken back. Following the August 2020 accident, Cowell underwent a five-hour surgery that included multiple spinal fusions and the insertion of a metal rod. The injury forced him to miss part of season 15 of AGT.

Months later, Cowell told PEOPLE that he was feeling “much better” and opened up about his recovery.

“I’ve got to be honest with you, it wasn’t that bad actually breaking your back,” he said in February 2021. “I mean it wasn’t great for 3-4 weeks but after that you get through it.”

The injury ultimately led Cowell to make lifestyle changes as he recovered through exercise, walking, swimming and physical therapy. He later revealed that the accident had left him with lasting nerve damage.

Meanwhile, Thompson is no stranger to NBC or live television. He has been a cast member on Saturday Night Live since 2003 and is the longest-tenured cast member in the show’s history.

His guest appearance comes at a crucial point in the AGT competition. Quarterfinals 3 airs Sept. 1, with 11 more acts competing and a Golden Buzzer sending one act directly to the finals. The results air the following night, Sept. 2.

America’s Got Talent airs Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC and streams on Peacock.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”