{
  "id": 9201151,
  "title": "‘America’s Got Talent’ Judges Miss Simon Cowell Amid Surgery Recovery: ‘We’ve Set Sail Without the Captain’",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/22/americas-got-talent-judges-miss-simon-cowell-amid-surgery-recovery",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-09-22T21:29:55.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Billboard",
    "slug": "billboard",
    "url": "https://www.billboard.com/culture/tv-film/americas-got-talent-judges-simon-cowell-absence-heidi-klum-1236344846/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The America's Got Talent judges have expressed their absence of Simon Cowell during his back surgery recovery, declaring the show must go on without the captain of the AGT ship. During an appearance on The Jennifer Hudson Show, Sofia Vergara acknowledged the judges' adaptation to Cowell's absence, stating, \"We miss him. The show must go on.\" Cowell's fellow judges, Howie Mandel and Mel B, echoed this sentiment, with Mandel joking that he misses having someone tell him when he is wrong. The show has brought in guest judges like Kenan Thompson and Heidi Klum to fill the vacant seat during Cowell's recovery. Klum's return was a seamless reunion, with Vergara praising her fun personality. However, Cowell's absence is more than just a missing member of the panel; it's the loss of a familiar voice who would tell them when they were wrong. This absence is compared to sailing without a captain, highlighting the significant impact Cowell's return will have when he is ready to resume judging.",
  "summary": "But as Sofia Vergara said on The Jennifer Hudson Show : \"The show must go on.\"",
  "key_points": [
    "America's Got Talent judges miss Simon Cowell during back surgery recovery.",
    "Judges Sofia Vergara, Howie Mandel, and Mel B adapt to Cowell's absence.",
    "Guest judges fill Cowell's vacant seat during his recovery."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}