Simon Cowell has already taken “a few steps” and has begun the road to recovery, one of his closest friends has revealed.
The news comes just hours after one report suggested he may not walk for many weeks after breaking his back in several places.
But in reality, the X Factor judge has already begun tentatively trying to walk just two days after his operation.
His former girlfriend and close friend Terri Seymour says he is keen to get back to work full time after breaking his back and may even be on TV later this month in the US with the possibility of watching and commenting remotely from home.
Speaking on NBC, Terri said: “He actually just took a few steps. I wanted everybody to know he is doing well and he is in good spirits. He is going to need a lot of physical therapy.”
TV and music boss Cowell 60, suffered a serious fall from a new electric bike he was testing at his house in Malibu on Saturday.
It had a top speed of 60mph and Cowell has since admitted he should have “read the manual” before testing it out as he was surprised by its power and fell flat on his back.
A close friend told the Mirror on Sunday although his back was broken in several places and it was very serious, he narrowly missed breaking his spinal cord “by a centimetre” which would may have meant he was unable to walk again.
A source close to Cowell said: “I spoke to him before the surgery and he was in incredible, ridiculous amounts of pain and also in shock.
"His back was broken in several places, but he is actually very lucky.”
Cowell has been back working on his iPad and there are now hopes he could be back on TV by the end of the month, potentially giving comments remotely from home watching auditions for his America's Got Talent and Britain's Got Talent shows.
Sources close to him did say he needs a lot of rest though and walking unaided and freely will take lots of physio and training.
It is also likely he will need to wear a brace for some weeks.
But one target he will be hoping to meet is to be able to play some part in the America's Got Talent live final on September 23.
