Simon Cowell, the legendary reality television judge known for his work on “American Idol” and “America’s Got Talent,” will be out of action and bedridden for the next six months due to complication from spinal surgery he underwent after his electric bike crash back in August.

Cowell, 61, is reportedly on high-strength drugs to help him deal with the pain, and he needs a full-time nurse. He will not be returning to the United Kingdom until spring, and has even been too unwell to record a video message for tonight’s final of his show “Britain’s Got Talent.”

“It’s been a rough few weeks,” a source told The Sun. “Simon’s a fighter and fairly gung-ho. Naturally, he thought he’d be out of action for a few weeks and then, if not doing iron man contests, at least be back on the showbiz circuit.”

“Instead, he’s had a setback from surgery to fuse two vertebrae and it has proven more complicated than a standard break,” the insider added.

Cowell is in intense physical therapy two months after breaking his back in the electric bike crash. He has been walking in his garden and doing exercises in the pool to improve his mobility at his home in Malibu, California. There, his girlfriend Lauren Silverman and son Eric, 6, have been helping him to stay positive.

“He’s on the mend and trying to be patient which is not something that comes terribly naturally to him,” the source said.

After his accident, Cowell showed that his sense of humor was very much intact when he tweeted, “Some good advice, if you buy an electric trail bike, read the manual before you ride it for the first time. I’ve broken part of my back. Thanks for all the your kind messages.”

Cowell had hoped that he would be well enough to appear at the “Britain’s Got Talent” finale tonight, but when it became clear that this would not be possible, he hoped to at least record a video message. However, that idea has since been scrapped as well.

“Simon is joking and in decent spirits,” the source explained. “But he’s also quite vain and the idea of going on national TV with no studio make-up, and while on heavy-duty medication, didn’t appeal. So, unfortunately, he had to decline producers’ requests.”