Simon Cowell has shared new details about the severe back injury he sustained from an e-bike accident in 2020, revealing that he was close to losing his ability to walk. In an interview with his ex-girlfriend Terri Seymour on “Extra,” Cowell described the pain and fear he experienced immediately after the accident.
“I knew I’d broken my back the minute I landed,” Cowell told Seymour, according to the UK’s Daily Mail. “It was really, really kind of sudden and it hurt.” The severity of his injury was confirmed by X-rays, which showed that his spine was at risk of being severely damaged.
Cowell’s instinctive reaction was to try to get back to his house despite the intense pain and loss of consciousness. “You’re not supposed to move,” Cowell recalled, but his mindset was to get back inside the house. After being transported to his home, he continued to drift in and out of consciousness.
He underwent a six-hour surgery to fuse two vertebrae, a procedure that was more complicated than a standard break. A friend revealed to The Sun that Cowell’s recovery was more challenging than he anticipated. “Naturally, he thought he’d be out of action for a few weeks and then, if not doing Ironman contests, at least be back on the showbiz circuit,” the friend said. “Instead, he’s had a setback from surgery.”
Throughout his recovery, Cowell praised the support he received from his girlfriend Lauren Silverman and his son Eric. Silverman, 43, and Eric, 7, were instrumental in helping him through this difficult time. Cowell revealed that Eric even nicknamed him “Iron Man” after seeing the screws and rods from his surgery.
Cowell, 61, committed to coming back from his injury stronger and fitter than before. He began walking 10,000 steps a day and incorporated swimming into his routine as he progressed in his recovery. He described the pain from the injury as “off the charts” and admitted that it was a completely new experience for him.
In addition to his recovery efforts, Cowell is reportedly considering legal action against Swind, the company responsible for the e-bike involved in the accident
