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Some deliberations were filmed and used to fill in the remaining portions of the final audition episode for the season, as was done for the British edition of the program. Under this new format, the judges would confer together at another site after all auditions had been completed, and deliberate on which successful participants from these they had voted for would proceed to the live rounds. His idea was to change it to a deliberation format, similar to the one used on Britain's Got Talent. Īfter the Judges Cuts format was suspended in the previous season due to COVID-19, Cowell decided to replace it altogether for the second stage of auditions. To avoid criticism of breaking state government regulations, this editing trick was made clear to viewers during the end credits for these episodes.
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In the final edit of audition episodes, an illusion of increased numbers viewing performances was done through a combination of virtual audience reactions and footage of audiences that attended session in previous seasons. Production was still impacted by government regulations within California to combat the spread of COVID-19 – although live audiences were allowed to attend, they were required to wear masks, with closed audition sessions having reduced numbers as a precaution. Closed auditions were held across March and April, with footage taken from these undergoing final editing before the season's premiere at the beginning of June, with production staff scheduling a two-week hiatus in the program's broadcast between July and August to avoid clashing with NBC's coverage of the 2020 Summer Olympics (which had been postponed for a year due to the pandemic).
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On February 24, 2021, the new season's line-up of judges and host was announced, revealing that Cowell would be returning, following an accident the previous year that had forced him to be absent in the fifteenth season's live episodes. During its broadcast, the season averaged around 6.6 million viewers, excluding its online Wildcard special. The sixteenth season was won by magician Dustin Tavella, with aerialist Aidan Bryant finishing second, and stand-up comedian Josh Blue placing third. This season saw the first group Golden Buzzer in the program's history, and the creation of a "Wildcard" special, aired via online streaming service Peacock on August 10, 2021, following the withdrawal of a Golden Buzzer participant.
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A planned break in the season's broadcast was also scheduled between July 20 to August 10, to avoid clashing with the network's live coverage of the 2020 Summer Olympics after they had been postponed to 2021 due to COVID-19. After Simon Cowell returned to his role on the program after an accident the previous year, the Judges Cuts round was replaced by him with a new deliberation format arrangement similar to that used in Britain's Got Talent. Although production was still impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, producers were able to involve live audiences during audition sessions and live round stages of the competition.
#America got talent finale series
The sixteenth season of the American talent show competition series America's Got Talent was broadcast on NBC from June 1 to September 15, 2021.