Kenan Thompson to fill in for Simon Cowell on ‘America’s Got Talent’
TheGrio...
The ‘SNL’ veteran will guest judge during the Sept. 1 quarterfinal as Cowell recovers from back surgery.
Kenan Thompson will temporarily take Simon Cowell’s seat on “America’s Got Talent” as the longtime judge recovers from back surgery.
Thompson’s return to the wildly popular talent show puts him back at the judges’ table six years after his first stint, and comes months after TheGrio covered him reuniting with Kel Mitchell for a new movie.
AGT announced Friday that Thompson will join Mel B, Howie Mandel and Sofía Vergara for the third round of Season 21 quarterfinals on Tuesday, Sept. 1. Cowell is expected to miss a few weeks while recovering from what his representative described as a routine back procedure.
Cowell was already absent from the Aug. 25 live show. Host Terry Crews told viewers that the operation was not an emergency but could not be postponed, and sent Cowell well wishes for a speedy recovery.
The AGT return is familiar territory for the “Saturday Night Live” veteran. Thompson previously filled in for Cowell during the live quarterfinals in August 2020, after Cowell broke his back in an electric bike accident and underwent surgery. Thompson joined Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum and Sofía Vergara at the time.
Cowell’s current procedure comes after years of back problems following that 2020 accident. His representative has said he is expected to return to the NBC competition series within a few weeks.
Thompson, 48, has been part of “Saturday Night Live” since 2003 and is the show’s longest-tenured cast member. His other credits include “All That,” “Kenan & Kel,” the “Good Burger” films and the NBC sitcom “Kenan.”
His guest appearance comes as “America’s Got Talent” moves deeper into its live rounds. Eleven acts are scheduled to perform in Tuesday’s quarterfinal, with one judge able to send an act directly to the finals using the Golden Buzzer. The season finale is scheduled for Sept. 23.