Simon Cowell has had a rocky path over the past few years. He added to his list with Sunday’s Britain’s Got Talent live final episode and a moment where he lost his voice. According to The Daily Mail, Cowell was shown coughing and pointing to his throat after a performance by finalist Amy Lou.
“He’s got something stuck in his throat!” Amanda Holden told hosts Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly, using some quick thinking to move the live show along. For Cowell, this isn’t the first time he’s lost his voice at the judges table, actually dropping his ability to speak during the start of filming on Season 18 of America’s Got Talent.
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“I think what happened was the acid from my stomach literally burned my vocal cords,” Cowell told USA Today at the time. “So this doctor came over and put a camera up my nose, down my throat, and I could actually see how badly burnt they were.”
He labeled the period without his voice as “torture” and noted that the judges panel had to continue on without his biting commentary. “There was so much I wanted to say, and I literally could not talk,” Cowell continued. “We tried writing things. At one point, I used this kind of iPad device where I had things I’d said before. I tried to use Sofía to translate for me, and she deliberately said the wrong things, so it was just chaos.”
“For about seven days, I had to sit there and not say anything, so all I could do was just listen to them. And it was very interesting, because they’ve all got enough confidence now that they have their own preferences,” he added. “So we probably disagreed more this year, but in a healthy way. You can’t be an expert on everything when you judge this show, because of the variety of acts.”
There is no indication that the live incident is connected but it wouldn’t be a surprise to learn it played a part. The absence of his voice was only the latest woe to affect Cowell’s daily life. Back in January 2020, Cowell suffered a broken back and several other injuries as the result of an e-bike crash. He underwent surgery for the injury and still has to wear a support when filming.
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Mel B at the "America's Got Talent" Season 21 Red Carpet held at Pasadena Civic Auditorium on March 24, 2026 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Variety via Getty Images) -
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