Kenan Thompson is joining America's Got Talent as a guest judge on Tuesday, Sept. 1, while Simon Cowell recovers from routine back surgery that will keep him off the live shows for several weeks.
The temporary switch gives the show a familiar face at the judges' desk at a moment when the season is already moving toward its final stretch. America's Got Talent returned for its 21st season on June 2, and its finale is set to air on NBC on Sept. 23, so the replacement lands squarely in the middle of the live-show run.
Thompson has done this before. He previously served as a guest judge during the show's 15th season in 2020, which makes the one-night appearance feel less like a stunt than a tested fallback for a show that has leaned on his presence before.
Crews, who hosts the show, said on the Aug. 25 episode that Cowell's operation cannot be delayed. “It's not an emergency, but it can't be put off,” he said, a reminder that the absence is temporary but unavoidable. Cowell's own history with back injuries gives that line extra weight. He missed the live shows in 2020 after breaking his back while riding an e-bike, later underwent a six-hour surgery that included a metal rod in his back, and said afterward that the accident was worse than people realized and left him with long-term nerve damage.
That history is why this recovery matters even if the surgery itself is described as routine. Cowell has been through a serious back injury before, and this time the show is moving ahead without him while the live rounds continue. What is not yet clear is whether Thompson will cover only Tuesday's episode or remain in the seat for more than one night, with Cowell expected back only after he has recovered enough to return.
