WASHINGTON — Actor and comedian Kenan Thompson will temporarily replace Simon Cowell as a judge on “America’s Got Talent” while Cowell recovers from routine back surgery, the show announced Friday.
Thompson will join Mel B, Howie Mandel and Sofia Vergara on the judges’ panel for the third-round quarterfinals episode scheduled for Sept. 1. Host Terry Crews will also return.
Cowell, 66, will miss several weeks as he recovers from the procedure. His representative told Entertainment Weekly that the surgery was routine and that Cowell expects to return within a few weeks.
“Obviously medical matters are private, but it’s routine, and he will be back in a few weeks,” Cowell’s representative said.
The show announced Thompson’s temporary role on social media, calling him a “comedy legend” who will take over the judges’ table.
Producers have not announced whether other guest judges will appear in subsequent episodes.
Thompson, a longtime “Saturday Night Live” cast member, has previously served as a guest judge on “America’s Got Talent” this season alongside other guest judges, including comedian Nikki Glaser, Spice Girls member Emma Bunton and singer and actress Lele Pons.
Cowell is in his 11th season as a judge on “America’s Got Talent.” He previously judged nine seasons of “American Idol” and has served as a judge on “The X Factor” and “Britain’s Got Talent.”
Cowell previously underwent surgery after breaking his back in an electric-bike accident in Malibu, California, in 2020.
Season 21 of “America’s Got Talent” premiered June 2. The show plans to announce its winner Sept. 23.