Simon Cowell will not be at the judges' table during the live finale of America’s Got Talent as he continues to recover from back surgery. The 66-year-old music producer and TV judge is set to miss the two-night live finale of NBC’s popular reality competition, which will air on Tuesday and Wednesday. In his place, British influencer and YouTube personality KSI—known for his work on Britain’s Got Talent—will take over as a guest judge for the event. KSI will join returning judges Howie Mandel, Mel B, and Sofía Vergara, as well as host Terry Crews, for the season 21 finale. Cowell has been undergoing a series of medical procedures in recent years after sustaining serious injuries in an electric bike accident in 2020. That incident left him with multiple fractures in his back and required a five-hour surgery. He has since taken time away from America’s Got Talent for recovery, including a break during the August live show when his chair was left empty. At that time, guest judges such as comedian Kenan Thompson and former judge Heidi Klum stepped in to fill his role. In early September, fellow judge Howie Mandel told E! News that Cowell was “just hours out of surgery” and joked about not reaching out to him immediately after the procedure, saying, “I don’t know that, this close to surgery, if this is the first thing you need to see.” Cowell’s back injury also affected his participation in Britain’s Got Talent, where he was temporarily replaced by previous winner Ashley Banjo during the 2020 season. He later described the accident as a life-threatening event, telling OK! Magazine in 2022 that he suffered long-term nerve damage and was “lucky to survive.” The America’s Got Talent live finale will air on Tuesday and Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET on NBC and will be available to stream the following day on Peacock. Cowell’s absence marks a notable change for the show, which has relied on his sharp critiques and entertainment value for many seasons.