Photo by: Andrew Eccles/NBC Pictured: Simon Cowell
Speaking to his ex-girlfriend, Terry Seymour, during an interview with Extra, Simon Cowell recently shared that he knew he broke his back the minute he fell off an electric bike this past August while testing it out in the courtyard of his Malibu home.
At the time, Cowell’s rep told Hollywood Life, “Simon has broken his back in a number of places in a fall from his bike whilst testing a new electric bike in the courtyard of his home in Malibu with his family. He was taken to hospital where they operated overnight, he’s under observation and is doing fine.”
“It was really, really kind of sudden and hurt,” Cowell shared while talking to Seymour.
The music mogul acknowledged that the situation could have been worse, stating, “When I saw the X-ray, I really nearly could have smashed my spine to pieces, so I literally wouldn’t have been able to walk.”
Cowell said he thought to myself, “I’ve got to get back into the house because I can’t lie there,” but he kept losing consciousness after he was successfully taken inside.
Following the accident, Cowell did his best to make light of the situation, and even Tweeted, “Some good advice… If you buy an electric trail bike, read the manual before you ride it for the first time.”
Here’s what you need to know.
Simon’s Six Hour Surgery
According to Page Six, Cowell broke his back in three places as a result of the fall and underwent a six-hour surgery. He had a metal rode placed on his spine, and in total, broke three vertebrae.
After the operation, he was put on a “regimen of very strong painkillers and [was asked to] remain largely confined to his bed,” according to Page Six. He also had 24/7 care by nurses.
During his interview with Extra, he spoke highly of his girlfriend, Lauren Silverman, 43, and their son, Eric, 7, saying he wouldn’t have been able to get through it without them.
“They were like my support. I couldn’t have gotten through it without them, so we got closer.”
Cowell Has Lost 20 LB Since the Accident
According to the Daily Mail, Cowell has lost a whopping 20 lb since his injury. The outlet explained that he has also adopted a vegan lifestyle.
When The Daily Mail snapped photos of Cowell spending time with Silverman and Eric last week, they wrote that he “looked relaxed” as he enjoyed his day out.
Why the diet change in the first place? When Cowell spoke to Ellen DeGeneres on her show in 2019, he told her, “I went to see this doctor in London. We did some tests. And then a month later he said, ‘You have the worst diet I’ve ever met from any patient.'”
He continued, “It’s like the Eric diet because he actually, apart from ice cream, he actually likes water. I mean, who likes water? And his raw vegetables. So I’m on the, like, Eric Cowell diet.”
It appears that Cowell’s terrible injury has convinced him to adopt a healthier lifestyle, and family and friends are cheering him on as he continues to heal.
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