“America’s Got Talent: The Champions” is a spin-off of “AGT.” Unlike that summer-time hit, this winter version was pre-taped with the winner decided by a pre-selected group of viewers. The show has dubbed this group the Superfans. The producers have been tight-lipped about the identity of these audience members. However, they did issue a statement with some details on the process.
The superfans were sourced from fans of the show that had been vocal in their love of previous seasons of “AGT.” This panel of voters is made up of representatives from all 50 states, though the exact number is not being disclosed. And not every member of the panel takes part in the vote for every episode.
To maintain secrecy, the superfans did not sit with the regular audience during the taping of the seven episodes. Rather, they were kept off-stage and voted via secret ballot electronically. While they did not discuss the acts with each other, they were guided by the comments of the four judges – Mel B, Simon Cowell, Heidi Klum and Howie Mandel — as well as new host Terry Crews.
In episode 1, which aired on January 7, the superfans put Preacher Lawson, a stand-up comic through to the final. He won more voters than singer Bianca Ryan, the season 1 “AGT” winner who overcame a paralyzed vocal cord to make a return to the stage. Their third place choice was contortionist Sofie Dossi.
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Are you a super fan of “America’s Got Talent: The Champions”? Do you miss being able to vote? Sound off in the comments section.
