Confirmed: Australia’s Got Talent returning to Seven in 2019

In a surprise move, Seven Network has announced it is reviving Australia’s Got Talent for 2019.

It marks a return to the show’s original home, for its ninth reason in Australia.

Based on Simon Cowell’s UK format, the show ran on Seven from 2007 – 2012.

For its seventh season, in 2013, it moved to Nine Network, which axed it a year later due to low ratings.

Nine brought it back in 2016, only to axe it at the end of its run that year.

Channel Seven’s director of network programming, Angus Ross, said last night: “Family-friendly variety shows have always played an important role in Seven’s schedule and the timing feels right for the biggest of them all – AGT – to return home to Seven in 2019.”

Series producer Fremantle’s CEO Asia Pacific, Chris Oliver-Taylor, added: “The Got Talent format is a global phenomenon with audiences and its production values are without peer.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with Seven to bring a local version of this scale to Australian audiences.

“Our passionate creative team will deliver a bold and captivating series everyone will enjoy.”

Despite its ups and downs in Australia, the Got Talent franchise remains massive in the rest of the world.

There are 71 versions of it across Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle-East, Africa and the Americas.

It was watched by half a billion people in 2018 alone.

It’s the number one entertainment show in the US and the 2018 series reached over 33 million viewers in the UK.

The Australian run unearthed a wide range of talent, including singers Andrew de Silva, Mark Vincent and Bonnie Anderson, dance troupe Justice Crew, guitar hero Smokin’ Joe Robinson, country rock band The Wolfe Brothers and magician Cosentino.

Its hosts and judges included Red Symons, Dannii Minogue, Kyle Sandilands, Timomatic, Sophie Monk, Ian Dickson, Eddie Perfect and Dawn French.