Simon Cowell will replace Howard Stern as a judge on”America’s Got Talent” for Season 11, NBC announced on Thursday.
Cowell invented the format for the show when it first launched in 2006 and now joins the smash hit. His brash, no-nonsense style is sure to spark fireworks on the talent show.
Auditions for Season 11 kick off in Detroit on Nov. 7 and make stops in 12 U.S. cities, including New York, Phoenix, Salt Lake City and San Jose.
“I am really thrilled to be joining ‘America’s Got Talent’ next season,” said Cowell. “What I love about this show is that it’s open to absolutely anyone. America has some fantastic talent just waiting to be discovered, and I would like that talent to come to our show, including any dogs who can sing!”
“Simon knows this format better than anyone and he’s been producing the show with us since the beginning, so we’re thrilled to have him to step in front of the camera and take his rightful place at the head of the judges’ panel,” Robert Greenblatt, Chairman of NBC Entertainment, said.
“As the creator of the ‘Got Talent’ format, he genuinely loves the show more than anyone and is uniquely qualified as we take ‘AGT’ into its next decade,” Paul Telegdy, President for Alternative and Late Night Programming, said.