Simon Cowell to Miss America’s Got Talent Season 21 Finale; KSI Named Replacement Judge

Simon Cowell will not be on the judging panel for America’s Got Talent Season 21 live finale as the show’s creator and longtime judge recovers from a recent medical procedure. British digital creator, musician, and boxer KSI will be a guest judge for the two-night finale, NBC confirmed.

America’s Got Talent Season 21 will have its live finale on September 22 and 23, 2026, without Simon Cowell, who is still recovering from back surgery. British YouTuber, musician, and boxer KSI will replace him as a guest judge on the panel, along with Howie Mandel, Sofia Vergara, and Mel B.

America’s Got Talent will have a different panel of judges for the Season 21 finale. Simon Cowell, a mainstay of the franchise since day one, will be absent from both the performance and results shows.

NBC said Olajide Olatunji, known as KSI, will be filling the empty spot at the judging table. He will join returning judges Howie Mandel, Sofia Vergara, and Mel B. Host Terry Crews confirmed the panel change, saying the judges’ job is now strictly to give feedback, as elimination power and Golden Buzzers are no longer in play.

Cowell is absent due to ongoing back problems. The 66-year-old television producer left AGT tapings in August 2026 to undergo a routine medical procedure to treat chronic back problems that stemmed from a 2020 accident.

When he first left, fellow judge Howie Mandel told the press the treatment had gone well, and Cowell was recovering well. There was some hope Cowell might return for the finale, but his medical team said he needed more time to recover, and he was ruled out for the live shows.

KSI is a popular British digital personality who initially rose to fame on YouTube. His name means “Knowledge, Strength, and Integrity.” Over the last decade, he has successfully transitioned from digital content to mainstream music, professional boxing, and business ventures, including co-founding the hydration brand Prime and building Misfits Boxing.

This isn’t KSI’s first time on the Got Talent franchise. He was a guest judge on Britain’s Got Talent (BGT) where he famously slammed his Golden Buzzer for magician Harry Molding, who went on to win the show. His experience in the format’s high-pressure environment made him a strategic choice for NBC’s finale.

An NBC Insider representative confirmed the finale lineup in a statement, saying, “KSI will be a guest judge during the two-night Live Finale of America’s Got Talent Season 21 alongside Sofía Vergara, Howie Mandel, and Mel B.

As for Cowell’s status, host Terry Crews addressed the audience previously in August, saying Cowell was recovering from an operation and the production was “sending you our very best” as he heals.

It’s rare for Cowell to be absent from an AGT finale – he’s usually the voice that defines the show’s final episodes. KSI replacing him signals a growing trend in traditional TV: bringing in established digital creators to appeal to younger, highly engaged demographics. KSI’s move to NBC bridges the gap between old-school broadcast formats and new-school digital entertainment, taking his enormous online audience to the NBC platform.

America’s Got Talent Season 21 finale will be a two-parter airing on September 22 and September 23, 2026, on NBC and streaming on Peacock. The judges are not allowed to send home any contestants at this point in the competition.

The winner of Season 21 will be decided by viewer voting. NBC has not confirmed whether Cowell will return to the panel for the upcoming cycle of Britain’s Got Talent, or for future seasons of AGT. However, his production company, Syco Entertainment, remains heavily involved behind the scenes.

Why isn’t Simon Cowell at the AGT finale?
Simon Cowell is recovering from a routine medical procedure for ongoing back problems that forced him off the show in August 2026.

Who will replace Simon Cowell on America’s Got Talent?
The Season 21 finale is guest judged by British digital creator, musician, and boxer KSI (Olajide Olatunji).

Has KSI ever judged Got Talent shows before?
Yes. KSI was a guest judge and later a permanent judge on Britain’s Got Talent, using his Golden Buzzer on the eventual season winner.