Simon Cowell has advised people to read the manual before riding an electric bike for the first time after he broke part of his back in an accident.

The 60-year-old star was rushed to hospital on Saturday (08.08.20) to undergo a six-hour surgery, after falling off his new electric bicycle at his home in Malibu, California,

and he was almost left paralysed after he broke his back in three places.

Speaking for the first time since the accident, the entertainment mogul tweeted to thank the nurses and doctors who looked after him and gave ''some good advice'' to anyone with a new bike.

He wrote: ''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.''

It has been claimed that he's set to miss the next couple of episodes of 'America's Got Talent' whilst he recovers, including Tuesday (11.08.20) and Wednesday (12.08.20).

Alongside a picture of his empty chair on the show, his fellow judge Sofia Vergara wrote on Instagram: ''We miss our boss!! Come back fast @simoncowell!!''

And Heidi Klum added in her own post with the same picture: ''Wishing you a speedy recovery @simoncowell.''

Simon was with his son Eric, six, and his partner Lauren Silverman's teenage son Adam when the accident occurred.

And he reportedly missed damaging his spinal cord by one centimetre, with a source explaining: ''It was a really, really bad fall - but he's very lucky to have escaped with the injuries he has. Had he damaged the spinal cord he could have been looking at life in a wheelchair, but thanks to the doctors he is hopeful of making a full recovery.''

A spokesperson for Simon said: ''Simon has broken his back in a number of places in a fall from his bike whilst testing a new electric bike in the courtyard of his home in Malibu with his family. He was taken to hospital where they operated overnight. He's under observation and is doing fine.''

It was previously claimed that he could face months of recovery.

A source claimed: ''It was a long surgery, they had to fuse his bones and implant a rod. But thank goodness he's going to be okay and will have a few months of recovery.''