TVNZ 2’s Got America’s Got Talent
June 26, 2020 
6 Comments
TVNZ 2 has acquired Three’s Saturday night variety staple America’s Got Talent.
After a heads-up from reader Leo, the network’s confirmed it will premiere within the next couple of months.
Season 15 went to air a month ago on NBC, with judges Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum, Simon Cowell and Modern Family’s Sofía Vergara.
Vergara’s sitcom co-star, Eric Stonestreet, has had to step in as a guest judge after Klum fell ill.
The series is one of NBC’s solid performers, with Variety reporting it’s continuing its run “near the top of the summer ratings leaderboard”.
AGT’s was never a big hit here but was a useful 7.00 Saturday anchor for Three.
TVNZ 2’s interest in the series may be driven by the popularity of Britain’s Got Talent on TVNZ 1 and the need for alternative programming to fill the holes in its schedule left by the COVID-19 production disruptions to series previously pencilled in for the next six months.
Movies and re-runs can plug these gaps only so far.
The deal may also pave the way for TVNZ 2 to launch an NZ’s Got Talent.
At the very least, it will fill the space left by TVNZ 2 discontinuing the US and Australian versions of The Voice.
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June 26, 2020 at 11:25 am
It astounds me that Three would let this go considering it anchored Saturday nights, I thought it was a solid performer for Three but I guess the network saw otherwise. Hopefully it gets a decent slot on TVNZ 2, it’s also interesting you say they could revive a local version which would be a great for TVNZ 2’s 7pm slot.
I imagine TVNZ offered a deal MediaWorks couldn’t match in its straitened circumstances, Leo. Possibly that deal would have been sweetened by the mounting of a local version, but that’s just speculation on my part. Given TVNZ 2’s “stacking” of primetime with comedy, soap and reality blocks from next week, stripping AGT to catch up in time for the US broadcast of the season finale could fit neatly into this strategy.
Three needs a new owner with BIG bucks 🙂
I hope they find a buyer for Three, it has a life support feel about lately …
I’m afraid, Kevin, the risk is the new owner takes it off life support!
Then join my newly owned business the TVNZ Project Plan. This service takes on board a range of different shows from overseas as promotions. So join with me on my Facebook site — you will see Wentworth season 8 on the site so you can talk with me on that site.