America's Got Talent is a reality television competition created by Simon Cowell, Ken Warwick and Cécile Frot-Coutaz, based on the British version of the show called Britain's Got Talent, which features amateur singers, dancers, magicians, comedians and other performers of all ages competing for the advertised top prize of $1-million.
With acts ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous, the quest is on to find the best talent on offer. At stake - a life changing opportunity.
Magicians to jugglers, strippers to fire eaters, singers to dancers - anything goes. All entertainers are given the chance to win the hearts of America and the cash prize of $1,000,000.
With the audience crammed with performers, everyone is hoping to be called for their shot at stardom.
As they take centre stage for the "open auditions" of a lifetime, they have only a precious few seconds to impress the hardened panel of judges - David Hasselhoff (Baywatch), Grammy award-winning singer and actress Brandy (Moesha) and U.K. television/media personality Piers Morgan - whose decision is final.
The first season was hosted by talk show host Regis Philbin. He was replaced for Season 2 by Jerry Springer, who himself was replaced by Nick Cannon from Season 4 onwards.
In Season 2, Brandy was replaced by Sharon Osbourne as one of the judges. Howie Mandel replaced David Hasselhoff in Season 5 and Howard Stern replaced Piers Morgan in Season 7.
Osbourne left the show after Season 7 and was replaced by Mel B and Heidi Klum, who joined the juding panel for Season 8.
America's Got Talent is produced by FremantleMedia North America and Simon Cowell's SYCO Television. Simon Cowell, Cecile Frot-Coutaz, Jason Raff, Ken Warwick and Georgie Hurford-Jones are executive producers.
Winners
SPOILER! Click to view spoilerSeason 1: Bianca Ryan (11-year-old singer)
Season 2: Terry Fator (ventriloquist)
Season 3: Neal E. Boyd (opera singer)
Season 4: Kevin Skinner (country singer)
Season 5: Michael Grimm (singer/songwriter)
Season 6: Landau Eugene Murphy, Jr. (jazz singer)
Season 7: Olate Dogs (animal act)
Season 8: Kenichi Ebina (dancer)
Season 9: Mat Franco (magician)
Season 10: Paul Zerdin (ventriloquist)
Season 11: Grace VanderWaal (12-year-old singer/songwriter)
Season 12: Darci Lynne Farmer (ventriloquist)
Season 13: Shin Lim (magician)