Learn About the Judges From the NBC TV Show "Americas's Got Talent"

America's Got Talent
Wikimedia Commons

NBC's popular summer talent competition and American TV show, America's Got Talent, has been presented by several different celebrities since 2006, from Regis Philbin to current presenter Tyra Banks. The show gives people all around the world the chance to perform in front of judges for the opportunity to showcase their talent and receive prizes. The results of the performances by singers, dancers, and more, are gathered by the judges and audience. 

America's Got Talent Gives the Opportunity of a Lifetime to Talented Amateurs

The reality contest show was created by judge Simon Cowell and currently has judges including Modern Family star Sofia Vergara, Project Runway's supermodel host Heidi Klum, Deal or No Deal host Howie Mandel, and the famous hard-to-win-over judge, Simon Cowell.

Reality star Sharon Osbourne, former Spice Girl Mel B, talk show host Piers Morgan, singer Brandy, actor David Hasselhoff, and radio "shock jock" Howard Stern previously judged talent on earlier seasons of the show. Learn more about some of the new and old America's Got Talent judges below:

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Sofia Vergara

Woman in a navy and silver dress, posing against a backdrop with the NBC peacock logo
Sofia Vergara joins the judging table of 'America's Got Talent'.

Amy Sussman/Getty Images

Vergara joined America's Got Talent for season fifteen in 2020, right after wrapping her eleven-season role as Gloria Prichett on the Emmy-winning sitcom Modern Family. During that show's run, she was nominated for five Golden Globes and four Emmys.

Modern Family was Vergara's breakout role, but she's also starred in several movie comedies including New Year's Eve, Chef, and Hot Pursuit. She's also done some voice work, lending her voice to characters in the animated movies Happy Feet Two and The Emoji Movie.

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Heidi Klum

Heidi Klum will judge 'AGT'
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Heidi Klum joined America's Got Talent in time to make season eight the first one with a four-person judging table. Klum has since spent five seasons on the judging panel of the NBC hit show.

Klum is best known as the host of Germany's Next Topmodel and Project Runway, and is famously known for her career as a supermodel, Victoria's Secret Angel, and Emmy Award winner. As a former model, Klum is a good judge of fashion, and now a judge of talent as well.

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Mel B

Melanie Brown of 'Mel B: It's a Scary World'
The Style Network

Melanie Brown, also known as Mel B, replaced Sharon Osbourne as a judge on America's Got Talent for season eight.

Mel B rose to fame as a member of the Spice Girls. Most would recognize her as the famous "Scary Spice." Brown also serves as a judge on The X Factor Australia, hosted Oxygen's second season of Dance Your Ass Off, and had her own reality show on The Style Network, Mel B: It’s a Scary World.

Brown previously appeared as a contestant on season five of Dancing with the Stars. The successful English singer, presenter, and actress has been affiliated with labels such as Virgin, Amber Cafe, and EMI throughout her musical career.

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Howie Mandel

'America's Got Talent' Season 11 Finale Live Show - Arrivals
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America's Got Talent judge Howie Mandel took over when David Hasselhoff left in 2010.

Mandel is best known for hosting the game show Deal or No Deal and for his role as Dr. Wayne Fiscus on the medical drama St. Elsewhere. He also hosts the Fox flash mob reality series, Mobbed.

The Canadian comedian and actor has spent most of his TV and film career in an array of voice acting roles for shows and movies including the 1984 hit Gremlins along with its sequel.

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Howard Stern

Howard Stern, judge on AGT
NBC

Howard Stern joined the judging panel on America's Got Talent for season seven. Prior to that, Stern was best known for his radio show, which has aired since 1986, and his controversial "shock jock" radio personality.
After four seasons, Stern left AGT. In his farewell, aired on the 10th season's finale, he mentioned his original motivations for joining, being that he wanted to help those who were struggling and give them advice.

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Sharon Osbourne

41st Annual Daytime Emmy Awards - After Party
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Before becoming a judge on America's Got Talent, Sharon Osbourne had her own talk show, appeared on Celebrity Apprentice, and is credited with launching the first celebrity reality show, MTV's The Osbournes. In late 2011, Osbourne left AGT to protest ABC firing her son Jack from the reality competition Stars Earn Stripes.

Additional former judges like Piers Morgan, David Hasselhoff, and Brandy brought a lot to the NBC hit show as well:

  • Piers Morgan was a judge on America's Got Talent from its launch in 2012 when he left to focus on his CNN news talk show Piers Morgan Tonight.
  • Baywatch actor David Hasselhoff was a judge on America's Got Talent for the first four seasons.
  • Singer Brandy judged the first season of the show.