What is the new twist on America's Got Talent season 19? Show format explored

America's Got Talent returns to NBC with a new twist this season. Each judge including Simon Cowell, Heidi Klum, Howie Mandel, and Sofia Vergara will get an opportunity to push the Golden Buzzer twice and send their favorite acts straight to the live shows. In earlier seasons of the show, they could press the buzzer only once. This new twist will save even more participants from getting eliminated and help them secure their positions in the competition.

America's Got Talent season 19 premiered exclusively on NBC at 8/7c on Wednesday, May 28, 2024. The synopsis of the premiere episode read:

"Variety acts featuring contestants of all ages audition for the chance to win $1 million; there are more golden buzzers than ever before, each sending a lucky act directly to the live shows to compete for America's vote."

Updated America's Got Talent season 19 show format

The hit competition series is set to feature a slightly different format this season. America's Got Talent season 19 is divided into two parts, Auditions and Live Shows. Each audition episode will span two hours, and a total of eight episodes will be released, with one airing each week from May 28, 2024, onwards.

In order to perform live on the AGT stage, contestants have to obtain votes from Simon Cowell, Heidi Klum, Howie Mandel, and Sofia Vergara. Participants who impress the judges and receive a golden buzzer will be sent to the Live Shows round and will not have to go through the elimination process.

After the America's Got Talent audition episodes are released, 55 will move on to the live shows. From August 13, 2024 onwards, 11 acts will perform every week and only two will move to the next round.

This time, however, for the first time in the history of the show, each judge will be given two Golden Buzzers, which will give participants the opportunity to compete for a $1 million grand prize and a Las Vegas residency spot, without being eliminated by the judges. Later during the finale episodes, their fate will be in the hands of the audience, who will have the power to send AGT contestants home through their votes.

The America's Got Talent show host Terry Cruise will also have the opportunity to press the Golden Buzzer but he can do so only once. One of the judges Howie Mandel spoke to US Weekly in an interview published on May 20, 2024, and said:

“When we first got note of the Golden Buzzer, originally, I thought, ‘Wow,’ There are moments where you just go, ‘Wow,’ and your jaw just drops on that desk and you don’t know how to express it and the power of being able to say, ‘Wow,’ with your hand on a Golden Buzzer and push somebody right to the Live Shows was amazing.”

The release schedule for the auditions and live shows is as follows: