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SOFIA'S SECRET PAIN
Sofia Vergara ‘is hiding her agony’ from AGT live audience as she ‘limps’ behind the scenes after brutal knee surgery
Find out the gift that her fellow judge gave her during her recovery
AMERICA'S Got Talent judge Sofia Vergara is hiding her pain and agony from the public after limping away from the media last night.
Sofia, 52, underwent knee surgery in April and is still in a lot of pain from it.
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She posed for the media backstage after the quarter-finals first round on Tuesday.
A source who was in attendance said that Sofia "hid distress and agony from millions of fans" during the show, but acted normal throughout it.
However away from the lenses, the Modern Family actress limped away from the red carpet area and studio.
"Her walking was noticeably labored as she attempted to put less weight on her left leg," the source said.
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Sofia then leaned on a member of her team to reduce the pain.
An aide assisted Sofia as she hobbled away back to her dressing room.
She had a long day, preparing for the first live show of the season, and her pain levels remained high.
Sofia walked for about 10 minutes talking to photographers and journalists backstage and then told an aide that it was "time to leave."
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'LEFT THE BUILDING'
Her fellow judge Howie Mandel appeared on the media red carpet after her and confirmed that she left the building.
“Sofia has left the building. She has got a bad leg," he said.
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Howie, 68, confirmed that Sofia had "worked through difficulties and agony throughout the day at the studio" in Pasadena, California.
“She had a surgery. And I bought her a pogo stick," he joked.
HIDING HER PAIN
Sofia hid her pain and acted normal throughout the live show.
She even stood up when she awarded Tanzanian balance act Hakuna Matata Acrobatics the first live Golden Buzzer.
America's Got Talent judges
THOUSANDS of hopefuls have graced the America's Got Talent stage to showcase their abilities.
Here is some more information about the A-list judges.
Simon Cowell - On October 22, 2015, it was revealed Simon was replacing Howard Stern on the AGT judges panel. He became a judge during the program's 11th season and has since remained a series regular.
Heidi Klum - In March 2013, Heidi was announced as Sharon Osbourne's replacement on AGT. After a few seasons off, she returned during Season 15.
Sofia Vergara - On February 27, 2020, NBC revealed Sofia was replacing Gabrielle Union for AGT season 15.
Howie Mandel - Out of all the panelists, Howie Mandel is the longest-tenured judge on America's Got Talent. Howie joined the hit reality series during the show's 5th season replacing David Hasselhoff.
In a video obtained by The U.S. Sun, Sofia was asked how she was doing.
"I'm ok. My leg is bothering me," she said on the red carpet as she adjusted her outfit.
It is unclear what kind of shoes had on as her feet were covered by her long, silver, metallic pants.
Sofia has about one month left to get her leg in shape to walk the red carpet at the Emmy Awards.
The actress is nominated for her lead role in the crime drama Griselda on Netflix.
SOFIA'S SURGERY
Sofia had surgery on her knee in April and shared a photo of her recovery from home.
She shared a photo to her Instagram Story as she laid in her bed.
Sofia's right leg was elevated, resting on a pillow, and her knee was wrapped tightly in gauze, with a monitoring device on top of it.
And there, lovingly looking over her, was her new doctor boyfriend, Justin Saliman.
Justin was dressed in scrubs and smiled for the camera as he held onto her leg.
"If you ever get a major knee surgery make sure you get a handsome doctor who will sleep with you that night!!!!" Sofia joked.
"Luv U Dr. (Justin Saliman)."
She also had her mom, Margarita Heilbron, taking care of her.
Sofia shared a photo of her on her couch with bandages on her knee.
"Con mi enfermera favorita @margieheilbron," she captioned the post, which translates to "with my favorite nurse."
Sofia was pictured walking around Los Angeles in May, just weeks after her surgery.
Read More on The US Sun
Just a few weeks later, she was seen going to lunch with a friend and limped on her leg.
Sofia said that her leg was "not good" when asked how it was doing.
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