The surgery lasted five hours and took place overnight on Saturday. A source said that a metal rod was inserted into his back. `The injuries are bad but he's also been told he was lucky.`

The Syco Entertainment chief and `America's Got Talent` judge was hospitalized on Saturday night after injuring his back in a biking accident in Malibu, Calif.

`Simon had a fall from his bike on Saturday afternoon whilst testing his new electric bike in the courtyard at his house in Malibu with his family,` said the spokesperson. `He hurt his back and was taken to hospital. He's doing fine, he's under observation and is in the best possible hands.`

Cowell is a music and TV entrepreneur best known as the creator and a judge on NBC's `America's Got Talent.` He came to fame in the U.S. in the early 2000s as a judge on Fox's `American Idol.` Cowell is also behind the global editions of the `Got Talent` format as well as another competition series, `The X Factor.`

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#SimonCowell has been hospitalized after breaking his back in a bicycle accident on Saturday. More, at the link in bio. 📸: @gettyentertainment

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A representative for Cowell declined to comment on how his recovery will affect production of `America's Got Talent,` which is in the middle of its 15th season at NBC. The latest summer season premiered on May 26. Cowell has been scratched from Tuesday and Wednesday's live telecasts of `America's Got Talent.`