Young Talent Time - Young Talent Time (2012)

Young Talent Time (2012)

Network Ten and Granada Media Australia - in conjunction with Johnny Young and Johnny Young Music - are the producers of the all-new version of Young Talent Time. Taped before a live studio audience at Fox Studios in Sydney, the 16-episode series debuted on Network Ten across Australia at 6.30 pm on Sunday 22 January 2012.

Hosted by former Australian Idol 2003 contestant Rob Mills, 2012's YTT features a regular Young Talent Team (of 10 members), performing a couple of group numbers each week, with one team member featuring in a solo spot each episode, to showcase their individual talents. Starting from episode 10 duets where sung instead of solos as each team member had performed a solo.

Each weekly episode features three or four young contestants (or acts) under the age of 16. These solo performers, duos, groups, etc., may be singers, dancers (ballet, hip hop, tap, jazz, etc.), musicians, sight acts, illusionists, comedians and so on. The winning contestant (or act) each week receives $5,000 from NAB (National Australia Bank) and the Grand Final winner receives $100,000.

The show's two judges/mentors are the original show's longest-serving Young Talent Team member Tina Arena (who appeared from 1977 to 1983 – six years 6 Months), and Filipino-American choreographer Charles Klapow, one of the winners of the Emmy Award for ‘Outstanding Choreography’ for High School Musical 2. Better known as 'Chucky' Klapow, he also helped choreograph the films Cheetah Girls 2, High School Musical and High School Musical 3: Senior Year as well as appearing in all three High School Musical movies as a dancer. He has choreographed for Mick Jagger and dances alongside Michael Jackson in the film Michael Jackson's This Is It. Klapow has previously been a judge on UK talent show Don't Stop Believing. TV Personality Ian Dickson filled in as judge while Tina Arena was ill for one episode. From the beginning of the finals competition he served as a full-time judge.

While the judges decide the winning contestant (or act) of each weekly episode, viewers can vote online for any of the weekly runners-up to become a 'wild-card' entrant, giving them a second chance of making it into the finals. On March 20, it was announced that YTT would move to Fridays at 7:30 to 8:30, the current time slot of Glee. It is believed YTT was moved because of poor ratings on Sunday night resulting in the much more popular Biggest Loser taking the 6:30 to 7:30 timeslot. The YTT team will commence a tour having shows in Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra. The Grand Final episode was aired on 4 May. The talent quest was won by first heat entrants and wildcard winners Lil' Banditz Krew. The all-boys Hip Hop troupe will tour with the YTT team and Rob Mills in June & July 2012. The tour will visit various Sydney venues as well as Melbourne and Canberra.

It's unknown whether YTT will return in 2013 because of the poor ratings; if YTT does continue, it's unknown whether Lyndall or Georgia-May will return as they are both 16.