Simon Cowell missed The X Factor’s first live show on Saturday night as he rested at home after falling down the stairs.
The judge was rushed to hospital on Friday after he took the tumble in his London home, but was photographed flashing a “thumbs up” when he returned hours later.
Introducing the judges, host Dermot O’Leary told viewers: “Thankfully three of them made it.”
He added: “You might have spotted one judge is missing – that was because Simon was taken to hospital yesterday.
“But he’s doing fine, he’s back home, he’s watching the show,” he said, adding: “Get well soon, boss.”
Not put off by his absence, the three judges joked they were innocent over the incident as O’Leary asked which of them had “put the banana skin at the top of the stairs?”
Louis Walsh said he was downstairs boiling milk, while Sharon Osbourne quipped she was “in the library with the candle stick”.
Nicole Scherzinger said: “It was a team effort.”
It’s still not known whether Simon will be well enough to appear on tomorrow night’s show.
The Sun is reporting the media mogul has stayed away on the advice of doctors, who warned him he risked another fall.
Their source claims: “Simon is suffering bad pains in his neck, and is still very shaken.
“He thought he may have broken his back, and he’s told friends it was the most scared he’s ever been in his life.”