Amanda Holden feared Simon Cowell’s bike accident ‘could be fatal’

‘I felt physically sick as I didn’t know how bad it was,’ Holden says

(Getty Images)

Amanda Holden has recalled finding out about Simon Cowell’s bike accident, stating that she “panicked it could be fatal”.

On 9 August, it was reported that Cowell had broken his back after falling off an electric bike at his home in Malibu, California.

The 60-year-old had been testing the new bike in his courtyard when he fell, resulting in him having to undergo surgery.

A few days later, Cowell’s fellow America’s Got Talent judges said he was doing “spectacularly well” as he recovered.

Holden, who sits on the judging panel alongside Cowell on Britain’s Got Talent, told The Sun that she feared the worst when she learnt of her colleague’s accident.

“I honestly panicked it could be fatal. It was gut-wrenching. I got a text in the night. I couldn’t sleep after,” she stated.

“I felt physically sick as I didn’t know how bad it was. I didn’t know what was going on.”

Holden added: “I wanted him to be alive, but I also wanted him to be able to walk as he’s such a good friend.”

The 49-year-old said that she has sent Cowell several gifts, including Lego, cashmere socks and butterscotch Angel Delight, which is reportedly the record executive’s “favourite”.

“Gorgeous Lauren is keeping his spirits up. Shs’ been doing the round-the-clock care,” Holden said of Cowell’s partner, Lauren Silverman, with whom he shares a six-year-old son, Eric Cowell.

The media personality added that she suspects Cowell will appear in the final for Britain’s Got Talent “in some form because I don’t think he could bear to miss it”.

“But at the moment we are acting like he’s not coming and doing the best we can without him,” she said.

Dancer Ashley Banjo, who won the 2009 series of Britain’s Got Talent with his dance troupe Diversity, has stepped in to replace Cowell on the judging panel while he recovers.

Holden proposed that Cowell could appear in the final through Zoom, in a fashion similar to the wizard in The Wizard of Oz.

“When the curtain goes back we just see his scary face! Alesha can be Dorothy. Ashley the tin man. David the scarecrow! And I’ll be Toto the dog!” she said.

The actor and singer noted that both she and Cowell have had titanium placed in their bodies following accidents, as she has titanium in her leg after breaking her leg in two places last year and Cowell has had titanium rods placed in his back.

“We’re both made of the same stuff!” Holden said.