Reality television star Simon Cowell was scheduled for surgery on Saturday after breaking his back at his home in California.
Cowell, 60, fell while testing an electric bike in his downtown Malibu with his family and was taken to the hospital, according to a Cowell spokesman.
The television personality initially did well under observation, but the spokesman later provided an update that Cowell had broken his back and was scheduled for surgery.
Early in his career as a record producer in the 1980s and 1990s, Cowell became known as the curmudgeonly judge on “American Idol” in the 2000s. Cowell became a household name with his often blunt and harsh comments to participants in the reality series.
The judge went on to engage in and produce similar format reality shows, such as “The X Factor” and “America’s Got Talent.” Cowell has been honored with the success of several musical artists over the past two decades, including bands Fifth Harmony and One Direction.
