We’re just days away from the January 7 series premiere of “America’s Got Talent: The Champions” on NBC, and we’re guessing you have a few questions about the spinoff’s format. How will the 50 returning acts be divided up? Will there be any Golden Buzzers? Who will choose the winner? Gold Derby reached out to NBC and got answers to all of these questions and more, so scroll down for your “AGT: Champions” play-by-play before the reality TV show’s big Monday debut.
How many episodes?
“AGT: Champions” will take place over seven episodes, from the premiere on January 7 to the finale on February 18. It’s a new time slot for the franchise, as “America’s Got Talent” usually airs during the summer months. Episodes 1-5 will feature performance, Episode 6 will showcase the finalists and Episode 7 will announce the results.
How many acts?
The 50 returning acts from around the globe (see the complete list here) will be divided into 5 groups of 10, with each group performing over the first five episodes. Only two acts from each group will go through to the Finals, meaning 10 total acts will advance and 40 acts will go back to their home countries.
How many Golden Buzzers?
Just like the normal version of the show, the Golden Buzzer feature will be a major factor in “AGT: Champions.” In fact, of the 10 finalists, 5 of them will be Golden Buzzers that are chosen individually by judges Simon Cowell, Heidi Klum, Mel B and Howie Mandel and host Terry Crews. NBC confirms that one Golden Buzzer will advance from each of the five performance episodes.
How will the other finalists advance?
With five finalists being Golden Buzzers, the other five finalists will be chosen by an exciting new contingent known as Superfans. Per NBC, Superfans are a broad group of folks “who represent the entire country with delegates from all 50 states.”
How will the winner be chosen?
Unlike normal seasons where viewers get to vote for who they want to win “America’s Got Talent,” this time around the Superfans have all the power. After the 10 finalists are chosen in the first five episodes, they will all perform one more time in the sixth episode. The finale on February 18 will be the results episode where the winner will be determined by the Superfans.
