Simon Cowell tweets from hospital with broken back his new electric bike in shock accident that ‘could have left him paralysed’

Simon Cowell has broken his silence after breaking his back in an accident at his home in Malibu.

The media mogul, 60, underwent six hours of surgery to insert a metal rod into his spine on Saturday night after falling from his new £3,000 electric bike.

On Sunday night, Cowell tweeted: ‘Some good advice… If you buy an electric trail bike, read the manual before you ride it for the first time.’

From his hospital bed: Simon Cowell broke his silence after breaking his back in an accident at his Malibu home, posting an update to his Twitter and Instagram feeds

He went on: ‘I have broken part of my back. Thank you to everyone for your kind messages.’

Hen then added in a second tweet: ‘And a massive thank you to all the nurses and doctors. Some of the nicest people I have ever met.’

He concluded: ‘Stay safe everyone Simon.’

It had earlier been reported that Cowell came very close to being paralysed in the fall which happened in the courtyard of his home in the presence of his son Eric, six, and stepson Adam, 14.

It’s believed his girlfriend and mother of his son Eric, Lauren Silverman, 43, had been able to visit him in the hospital.

Accident: Cowell, 60, underwent surgery to insert a metal rod into his spine Saturday night after falling from his new electric bike. Pictured in April with girlfriend Lauren Silverman, 43

A friend of the family told MailOnline that Cowell was in ‘shock and massive amounts of pain’ after the accident. 

‘Lauren went with him to the hospital and has been allowed in briefly to see him. He’s doing OK in the circumstances,’ the insider said.

A source told The Mirror: ‘Simon fell flat on his back and the doctors say the impact missed his spinal cord by about a centimetre and it could have been a lot, lot more serious.’ 

Discussing the TV star’s recovery, another source told The Sun Simon had suffered ‘three breaks in his back’ and it could take ‘several weeks’ before it is know if Simon will have any long lasting effects from the fall.

They said: ‘It’ll be several weeks for the bruising and swelling to go down and then we’ll know how serious the lasting effects could be.  

‘He’s lucky to be even in the state he is in with a metal rod in his back and multiple breaks… He could have been looking at a life in a wheelchair.’

A source told The Sun Simon pulled a wheelie when he was ‘surprised by the power’ of the new bike and knew straight away that he ‘was in trouble’.

Sources told MailOnline he did not lose consciousness after the fall and was able to chat from his hospital bed – even asking for his iPad before surgery in order to keep up with messages and emails.

On Sunday afternoon he was in recovery, awake and doing well. Lauren has been waiting outside hospital, mostly in the car, due to COVID-19 restrictions, but was allowed to see him briefly before surgery.

Meanwhile, Deadline.com reported Sunday that Cowell will miss the first two live shows in the new America’s Got Talent season, set to air this coming Tuesday and Wednesday.