Read the manual, says Cowell, after breaking back in ebike fall
SIMON COWELL, the entertainment mogul, has told electric bike owners to “read the manual before you ride” after breaking his back in an accident.
The 60-year-old underwent six hours of surgery following a fall from a bike he was testing at his house in Malibu in which he broke “part of his back” in a number of places.
On Saturday night, the star of The X Factor talent show was taken to hospital where he had an operation, which involved a number of procedures including having a metal rod inserted into his back.
He tweeted: “Some good advice… if you buy an electric trail bike, read the manual before you ride it for the first time. I have broken part of my back. Thank you to everyone for your kind messages”.
A second message read: “And a massive thank you to all the nurses and doctors. Some of the nicest people I have ever met. Stay safe everyone, Simon”. Cowell is recovering in hospital and it is understood that he will remain there for a few days.
A source said that while it was a serious injury, doctors said he had been very lucky.
The entertainment boss has a sixyear-old son, Eric, with his partner Lauren Silverman – and it is understood Eric was with his father at the time.
A spokesman for Cowell said: “Simon has broken his back in a number of places in a fall from his bike while testing a new electric bike in the courtyard of his home in Malibu with his family.”
She said he was taken to hospital, where he was operated on overnight, adding: “He’s under observation and is doing fine.”
Last month it emerged that Cowell had bought Sony Music Entertainment’s stake in TV programmes including Britain’s Got Talent and The X Factor.
The move sees the music mogul gain ownership of all the international versions of The X Factor and Got Talent programmes.
The Got Talent format airs in 76 markets, while The X Factor is broadcast in more than 130 territories.
Sony Music’s share of the venture has transferred to Syco Entertainment, a company solely owned by Cowell.
Filming on the next stage of this year’s Britain’s Got Talent has been postponed because of the coronavirus crisis, but ITV has said it hopes to continue the series later this year.