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After A Bike Accident He Was “Lucky” To Survive, Viral Clip Of Simon Cowell Raises Worry Among Fans
Simon Cowell smiling and clapping with a group of people in a studio setting, sparking viral concern after bike accident.
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After A Bike Accident He Was “Lucky” To Survive, Viral Clip Of Simon Cowell Raises Worry Among Fans

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Fans are accustomed to seeing Simon Cowell only from the chest up, sitting behind a judging panel as he watches the performances of aspiring singers on The X Factor, American Idol, or America’s Got Talent.

That’s why a recent video showing the celebrity judge in full view quickly drew attention.

Simon recently appeared on the Jennifer Hudson Show and made his entrance through the “Spirit Tunnel,” a popular segment on the show. The idea is for guests to dance and clap their way down the hallway leading to the studio, while producers cheer them on with a custom song.

RELATED:
    Highlights
    • Simon Cowell’s appearance on 'The Jennifer Hudson Show' sparked concern about his health and mobility after his e-bike accidents.
    • In 2020, Simon broke his back testing an e-bike, undergoing six hours of surgery, with a metal rod inserted in his spine.
    • Simon credits cycling for boosting his creativity and his health, saying he'd endure the pain again for the benefits.

    Image credits: Trae Patton / Getty Images

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    Image credits: Chris Haston / Getty Images

    Once the music mogul reached the end of the hallway, he turned around and asked, “Can I do that again?”

    The 65-year-old’s unusual entrance sparked plenty of conversation online, with many mocking him for his clapping style, while others voiced concern about his health.

    “That’s a NO from me,” one user declared.

    “The most awkward walk out I’ve ever seen in my life,” typed someone else.

    “Why’s bro clapping like that,” a third asked.

    Viewers described his movements as “awkward” and speculated that his e-bike accidents might be affecting his mobility

    Image credits: jenniferhudsonshow / TikTok

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    Image credits: jenniferhudsonshow / TikTok

    “Something feels weird but I just can’t put my finger on it,” added a separate user, while someone else asked, “In all seriousness, is he good?”

    Despite speculation that Simon was feeling “awkward,” he later told Jennifer Hudson, who competed on American Idol more than 20 years ago, that he “loved” his entrance.

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    “I loved that. I absolutely loved it. When they told me the idea, it’s like the best way of coming on a show I’ve ever done in my life. Do you mind if I steal it for AGT (America’s Got Talent)?” he asked.

    “I want to do it twice. I want to do it on the way back.”

    “In all seriousness, is he good?” wrote one concerned fan

    Image credits: jenniferhudsonshow / TikTok

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    Others suggested that the TV star’s posture might be the result of his two serious e-bike accidents in 2020 and 2022, the most recent of which was nearly fatal.

    In August 2020, Simon broke his back after falling off an electric bike he was testing at his Malibu home. He underwent six hours of surgery overnight, which involved having a metal rod put in his back.

    The former X Factor judge previously revealed that he was just a “millimeter” away from being paralyzed.

    “If you buy an electric trail bike, read the manual before you ride it for the first time,” Simon tweeted the day after his accident.

    Image credits: KoalaTeaEJ / X

    Image credits: ThatAlabastard / X

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    Image credits: mysolarwellness / X

    Two years later, he suffered another bike accident he was “lucky” to have survived.

    “Simon was on the e-bike with his electric motor on, when the bike slipped on a wet patch,” a source close to the veteran producer told The Mirror at the time.

    “He went flying over the handlebars into the middle of the road and is lucky to be alive as he wasn’t wearing a helmet. He was taken to hospital and X-rays showed he broke his arm.”

    Simon reassured viewers that he “loved” the entrance and even wanted to borrow the idea for America’s Got Talent

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    Image credits: Jennifer Hudson Show / YouTube

    Image credits: Jennifer Hudson Show / YouTube

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    Despite the ordeal, Simon still enjoys cycling and said he “would have gone through the whole thing again” because of all the benefits he gains from it.

    “My most creative time is now when I cycle, because I cycle even though it’s an e-bike. I still got to pedal and I do about ten miles a day, even though I had an accident on one,” he told ex Terri Seymour on ExtraTV.

    “That expression ‘get back on your bike,’ with me, it was literal. I feel better than I did because I exercise so much more.

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    “Honestly, if I could rewind, I would have gone through the whole thing again. Just because I feel better now. Yeah, even though it hurt like hell at the time.”

    Simon suffered two e-bike accidents, one in 2020 and another in 2022

    Image credits: MEGA / Getty Images

    Image credits: Allie Martin / Flickr / simoncowell / Instagram

    Simon, who was the first guest on The Jennifer Hudson Show in 2022, said he was “starstruck” by the host before being asked to reveal his Mount Rushmore of singers: Whitney Houston, Frank Sinatra, Stevie Wonder, and Mariah Carey.

    He also shared his thoughts on the current music industry, saying that aspiring singers are chasing the “one hit wonder,” which was previously considered a mark of an unsuccessful career.

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    “Everyone’s posting these gimmick songs,” he said. “You get a lot of money for one record. I was in the business of developing careers. Maybe it’s because there are so many people trying to get signed.”

    In 2020, he broke his back while testing an e-bike and had to undergo a six-hour surgery

    Image credits: Norwood (Charity) / Wikipedia

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    Image credits: simoncowell / Instagram

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    Simon added that very few artists today have the qualities needed to become the next big star.

    “I think if you’ve got that star glow and perseverance, the world is always looking for someone like that. But they’re like diamonds.”

    “Is this my first time ever seeing him standing? Why do I feel confused?” one fan shared

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    Marina Urman

    Marina Urman

    Author, Entertainment News Writer

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    With a degree in social science and a love for culture, I approach entertainment journalism at Bored Panda with a research-driven mindset. I write about celebrity news, Hollywood highlights, and viral stories that spark curiosity worldwide. My work has reached millions of readers and is recognized for balancing accuracy with an engaging voice. I believe that pop culture isn’t just entertainment, it reflects the social conversations shaping our time.

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    Marina Urman

    Marina Urman

    Author, Entertainment News Writer

    With a degree in social science and a love for culture, I approach entertainment journalism at Bored Panda with a research-driven mindset. I write about celebrity news, Hollywood highlights, and viral stories that spark curiosity worldwide. My work has reached millions of readers and is recognized for balancing accuracy with an engaging voice. I believe that pop culture isn’t just entertainment, it reflects the social conversations shaping our time.

    Donata Leskauskaitė

    Donata Leskauskaitė

    Author, Community member

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    Hey there! I'm a Visual Editor in News team. My responsibility is to ensure that you can read the story not just through text, but also through photos. I get to work with a variety of topics ranging from celebrity drama to mind-blowing Nasa cosmic news. And let me tell you, that's what makes this job an absolute blast! Outside of work, you can find me sweating it out in dance classes or unleashing my creativity by drawing and creating digital paintings of different characters that lives in my head. I also love spending time outdoors and play board games with my friends.

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    Donata Leskauskaitė

    Donata Leskauskaitė

    Author, Community member

    Hey there! I'm a Visual Editor in News team. My responsibility is to ensure that you can read the story not just through text, but also through photos. I get to work with a variety of topics ranging from celebrity drama to mind-blowing Nasa cosmic news. And let me tell you, that's what makes this job an absolute blast! Outside of work, you can find me sweating it out in dance classes or unleashing my creativity by drawing and creating digital paintings of different characters that lives in my head. I also love spending time outdoors and play board games with my friends.

    What do you think ?
    Mel in Georgia
    Community Member
    6 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The walk was fine, just an awkward older white guy moment, but he's had so much done to his face he doesn't look like himself.

    Ace
    Community Member
    Premium
    6 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    As someone who's had major spinal trauma and surgery, much more serious than his, I cannot see any possible connection between that and his apparently odd dancing/walking style. That's not how the nervous system works, either there was neurological damage, in which case he'd be struggling to walk at all, would be awkward/unbalanced/limping all the time or there was none. There could be pain - godnose I have enough of that all the time, even the best part of 20 years later - but nothing that would account for this, which is obviously just him being c**p.

    Saphyre Fyre
    Community Member
    6 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    You are Ace. He is Simon. You are NOT the same person! People are NOT robots who are built to all operate 100% exactly the same as one another. Your comment is YOU being c. r. a. p.

    Load More Replies...
    Saphyre Fyre
    Community Member
    6 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This is how damaged people's minds and souls are. Most people are too damaged to see it (can't see the forest through the trees), they're drowning in their own troubles so they can't see that; all they can do is try to tear everyone else down whenever they see something that doesn't sit right with them. NOOOOOBODY is perfect! I'd like to see these people try to survive what Simon Cowell has survived, and without the becoming negative a-h0les part.

    Mel in Georgia
    Community Member
    6 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The walk was fine, just an awkward older white guy moment, but he's had so much done to his face he doesn't look like himself.

    Ace
    Community Member
    Premium
    6 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    As someone who's had major spinal trauma and surgery, much more serious than his, I cannot see any possible connection between that and his apparently odd dancing/walking style. That's not how the nervous system works, either there was neurological damage, in which case he'd be struggling to walk at all, would be awkward/unbalanced/limping all the time or there was none. There could be pain - godnose I have enough of that all the time, even the best part of 20 years later - but nothing that would account for this, which is obviously just him being c**p.

    Saphyre Fyre
    Community Member
    6 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    You are Ace. He is Simon. You are NOT the same person! People are NOT robots who are built to all operate 100% exactly the same as one another. Your comment is YOU being c. r. a. p.

    Load More Replies...
    Saphyre Fyre
    Community Member
    6 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This is how damaged people's minds and souls are. Most people are too damaged to see it (can't see the forest through the trees), they're drowning in their own troubles so they can't see that; all they can do is try to tear everyone else down whenever they see something that doesn't sit right with them. NOOOOOBODY is perfect! I'd like to see these people try to survive what Simon Cowell has survived, and without the becoming negative a-h0les part.

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