Simon Cowell updates fans in first tweet since breaking back in bike accident
Simon Cowell has updated fans from his hospital bed after a biking accident left him with a broken back.
The X Factor star was trying out a new electric bike at his Malibu home with his family on Saturday when the incident occurred.
The 60-year-old took to Twitter after surgery in the early hours of Monday (10 August) to reassure his 11.3 million followers.
Read more: Simon Cowell in hospital after breaking back in bike fall
The music mogul jokingly recommended that people “read the manual” when trying out a new electric bike, and also praised the the medical experts who treated him.
Cowell tweeted: “Some good advice... If you buy an electric trail bike, read the manual before you ride it for the first time. I have broken part of my back. Thank you to everyone for your kind messages.”
He added: “And a massive thank you to all the nurses and doctors. Some of the nicest people I have ever met. Stay safe everyone. Simon.”
And a massive thank you to all the nurses and doctors. Some of the nicest people I have ever met.
Stay safe everyone
Simon.— Simon Cowell (@SimonCowell) August 10, 2020
Following Cowell’s six-hour emergency surgery, Good Morning Britain’s resident medical expert Dr Sarah Jarvis warned he is likely to “have long road to recovery”.
She said: “Of course we all remember Christopher Reeve who broke his spine, I think there was a fall from a horse, and of course, he was paralysed from the neck down because he broke his spine at a higher level.
“Basically, all the nerves that supply all the rest of your body between your brain and your legs and your arms, and of course your breathing, goes through your spine.
“So depending where you fracture your spine, if you sever your spinal cord at that stage, then basically that’s it.
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“Obviously we don’t know all the details but if he didn’t sever the spinal nerve, then he’s got a lot of recovery to go through.
“He’s had some of his bones fused, that will take some time for the fusing to happen, but after that it’s going to be a long road to recovery.
“He’s going to have to get that strength back, he’s going to have to do a lot of physiotherapy.”