America’s Got Talent has found a familiar replacement for Simon Cowell. As the TV personality continues to recover from back surgery, former judge and model Heidi Klum will temporarily return to the judging panel.
Host Terry Crews broke the news live that Heidi Klum is moving back into Simon Cowell’s empty chair
Host Terry Crews broke the news during the show’s September 2 episode. He said, “We will have another guest judge next week. But check this out. It’s the return of AGT super judge Heidi Klum. Yes, Heidi will be back at the judges’ desk. How cool is that? Are you excited? I’m excited. The chair is ready and waiting for you, Heidi.”
Klum is set to make her return during the September 8 live episode. Unlike a typical episode, this one will air for three hours instead of two, allowing it to feature both the performances and the results.
Klum first joined the America’s Got Talent judging panel in 2013 and stayed until 2018. She returned in 2020 and remained on the show through 2024. She also appeared in AGT: Fantasy League, AGT: All-Stars, and AGT: The Champions.
Meanwhile, 66-year-old Cowell is taking time away to recover from routine back surgery. He is expected to miss several weeks of Season 21’s live shows while recovering from the routine procedure. Also, this is not his first time undergoing back surgery.
Cowell suffered multiple fractures to his back after an e-bike accident at his Malibu home in 2020. He later underwent a six-hour surgery to have a metal rod inserted into his back. During a 2023 appearance on the Today Show, Cowell called the injury “painful.” He added, “However, I was so unfit before the accident. I didn’t know how unfit I was until I had to do all this stuff afterwards,” he explained. “And I’m like, ‘My God.’ Things like that, I believe, happened for a reason.”
Originally reported by Meenakshi Sengupta on Reality Tea
