Got Talent - Original Series

Original Series

See also: America's Got Talent and Britain's Got Talent

Got Talent was a British invention by The X Factor creator Simon Cowell, with comedian and talk show host Paul O'Grady producing a pilot for ITV. O'Grady left the network after disputes with ITV, resulting in Cowell moving the concept to the United States while he and ITV searched for a new show host.

Due to these issues, the Got Talent franchise ended up debuting first as America's Got Talent on NBC on 21 June 2006, with judges David Hasselhoff, Brandy Norwood, and Piers Morgan. The show's original series was hosted by Regis Philbin. Most recently, the judging panel may will be Howie Mandel, Carmen Electra, Paula Abdul and Howard Stern, and is hosted by Nick Cannon. The grand prize on America's Got Talent is $1 million, and, since season 3, a chance to headline a show on the Las Vegas Strip. America's Got Talent proved extremely successful for NBC, pulling in high ratings in both total viewers and the younger 18-49 demographic. The show's initial success in America is credited with the eventual launch of the British series, and the overall global launch of the Got Talent franchise.

ITV eventually debuted Britain's Got Talent on 9 June 2007 with Cowell, Morgan and Amanda Holden as judges, and Ant & Dec as hosts of the show. For series 5, Morgan stepped down due to commitments hosting Piers Morgan Tonight on CNN. Cowell only attended the live shows as he was busy launching The X Factor USA, so Michael McIntyre and David Hasselhoff joined the panel with Holden. In October 2011, it was confirmed that McIntyre and Hasselhoff would not return for series 6 and they were replaced by David Walliams and Alesha Dixon, along with Cowell returning as a judge full-time. The top prize was initially £100,000 (changed to £500,000 in series 6), and a performance at the Royal Variety Show in front of Queen Elizabeth II, and Prince Charles.

In June 2010, following Britain's Got Talent's success at the BAFTA television awards, Simon Cowell voiced his ideas regarding a global version of Got Talent. However, he argued that the format would not work with judges as they had all "tried to be him" in previous attempts (see World Idol), and instead proposed a commentary format, similar to that of the Eurovision Song Contest. During the same week, more details were announced, with Cowell explaining 20 previous winning contestants from global variations of Got Talent would be brought together at the Royal Albert Hall with himself and Jonathan Lopez both having roles in the show. A proposed prize of £1 million was announced, along with a projected global television audience of 300 million, and an intended airdate of 2011. However, Cowell halted plans for the series because it would hamper with his judging commitments with The X Factor USA and Britain's Got Talent for the years to come.