Getty Mel B attends the "America's Got Talent" Season 13 Live Show Red Carpet.
To kick off 2019, America’s Got Talent will premiere a new spinoff reality competition series, called America’s Got Talent: The Champions. The show will feature 50 of what NBC calls “the greatest acts of all time,” competing against one another in “a tournament of champions.” America’s Got Talent normally airs its new seasons over the summer, so this winter “bonus season” was a surprise for fans. In preparation for the show’s premiere on January 7, NBC is also airing a holiday special, A Holiday of Champions, tonight at 10pm ET/ 9pm CT.
Not only will the new show include top contestants from past American seasons, the cast of 50 includes “favorites from other global ‘Got Talent’ franchises, spanning 194 countries, will also join the fray, showing off their skills for a whole new audience.” Ahead of the premiere, NBC revealed all of the acts competing in the spinoff, including Susan Boyle (Britain’s Got Talent 2009 runner-up), Shin Lim (America’s Got Talent 2018 winner) Drew Lynch (America’s Got Talent 2015 finalist), Tokio Myers (Britain’s Got Talent 2017 winner), and Cosentino (Australia’s Got Talent 2011 winner). For a complete list of the “Champions,” Good Housekeeping has organized all 50 acts based on the season and country in which they competed. Many of the contestants are winners of their original seasons and looking to defend their title at an international level. For the contestants who were finalists or runners-up when they first competed, this is their second chance at the crown.
The best of the best are going back into the fight. ✨
This is your FIRST LOOK at the toughest talent battle of all time. #AGTChampions premieres January on @nbc. t.co/fTruqS8MK3
America’s Got Talent judges Mel B, Heidi Klum, Howie Mandel, and executive producer and show creator Simon Cowell will judge the spinoff. Joining them as the show’s host is actor Terry Crews. On the NBC website, it says that Tyra Banks, the regular season’s host, will also be appearing; however, Deadline reported that Tyra Banks will be hosting next summer’s season. To announce that he would be joining the show, Crews took to Instagram to express his excitement to fans, writing “O FAM, I AM SCREAMING WITH EXCITEMENT! ONE MONTH until my @AGT hosting debut and #AGTChampions premieres! YOU KNOW it’s gonna BE ON FIRE!” Crews will also be hosting the AGT holiday special.
For all of the contestants, judges and fans can expect that their acts will be even better than the ones that first earned them recognition and success in the reality competition franchise. One contestant drawing particular attention is Courtney Hadwin, who was eliminated before the top 5 in season 13 of America’s Got Talent; this year, she made the top 10 on another popular television talent competition franchise, The Voice UK. Shortly after her participation in the “Champions” season was announced, she revealed on Instagram that signed a record deal with Syco Entertainment and Arista Records; Syco, which is owned by Cowell, confirmed the news on their Instagram, writing “NEWS: @AGT finalist @courtneyhadwin signs record and publishing deal with Syco and Arista Records.”
Tune in to NBC on January 7, 2019 at 8pm ET/ 7pm CT for the premiere of the franchise’s first winter season of America’s Got Talent: The Champions.