Amanda Holden brands Simon Cowell 'evil' as she shares real reason behind his head injury
Simon Cowell has now rejoined his fellow Britain’s Got Talent judges Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon and KSI for the audition rounds, after recovering from his nasty fall
Britain's Got Talent judge Amanda Holden has shared an update about her co-star Simon Cowell’s recent head injury. The 66-year-old was forced to withdraw from the Birmingham auditions for two days after he suffered a nasty fall earlier this month.
Following medical attention, he has since returned to judge more acts in Blackpool, while visibly sporting a mark on his head. Back on presenting duties on Monday following the latest round of auditions, Amanda told Heart Radio listeners what had happened.
The 54-year-old began by quoting Simon as saying: "I don’t like the word poorly, I fell down the stairs." She said of his words: "He thinks it’s youthful not to hold onto a bannister, that is a fact.
"Whereas I, 10 years younger than him, always hold on to a bannister because I have it in my head that I will fall down the stairs in a nine-inch heel and a flare. He fell and tumbled. He banged his head, had concussion and needed a bit of time off.
"But when he got back to Blackpool [auditions], he was as right as rain." However, upon his return, Amanda said she noticed a change in his personality.
"He’s gone back to being really evil," she joked, before adding playfully: "He had a French accent."
"Last year he was really getting on my nerves because he was giving everyone second chances. I was like, 'This is not Britain’s What’s Your Third Song Choice? This is Britain’s Got Talent - you’ve got two minutes to change your life and if it doesn’t work, come back next year'.
"And now he’s gone back to being sort of evil X Factor Simon, which is his trademark and what he should be doing. It’s much better, much quicker - brilliant," she added.
Amanda went on to say that his injury had been "a huge benefit" for the show in terms of entertainment. She later echoed to her co-star Ashley Roberts: "Simon's gone back to being a baddie, which I'm really enjoying, I like it when he's evil."
During his absence, he was replaced by former X Factor star Stacey Solomon, who joined Amanda, Alesha Dixon and KSI on the panel.
KSI has now taken over from Bruno Tonioli as a full-time judge, after appearing as a guest panellist last year.
Meanwhile, it’s not the first time Simon has suffered a serious fall while working on a show.
The father-of-one previously tumbled down the stairs at his London home, just days before filming the live X Factor shows.
Shortly after the incident in 2017, he told The Sun: "I was lying on my back thinking, ‘I hope I haven’t broken my neck.’
"But the NHS staff were the most amazing people I’ve ever met, genuinely. Fortunately, it was all fine."
Three years later, he fell off an electric bike he was testing out near his home in Malibu, California.
At the time, he underwent surgery, including having a metal rod inserted into his back to stabilise it.