The twentieth season of America's Got Talent saw a familiar face take the crown

Cultures · Published 10 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: After nearly two decades, a former contestant returned to claim victory on the twentieth season of the long-running talent competition. The season featured unique rule changes, including expanded opportunities for judges to use the Golden Buzzer, and navigated production delays caused by environmental challenges in Southern California.

The twentieth season of the American talent competition aired on NBC between May 27 and September 24, 2025. The judging panel saw the return of Howie Mandel, Sofía Vergara, and Simon Cowell, while Mel B rejoined the group for her seventh season, taking over the seat previously held by Heidi Klum. Terry Crews continued his tenure as the show's host for his seventh consecutive year.

The competition concluded with singer Jessica Sanchez winning the title. Sanchez was not a newcomer to the stage, having participated in the show's very first season back in 2006. The runner-up position went to freestyle rapper Chris Turner, followed by singer Jourdan Blue in third place. Throughout its run, the season maintained an average audience of approximately 4.49 million viewers per broadcast.

Production faced significant hurdles early in the year. On January 8, 2025, organizers announced that open-call auditions were delayed indefinitely because of wildfires affecting Southern California, the region where the series is filmed. Filming eventually began at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium on March 14, 2025. The season also introduced notable structural shifts, such as allowing each judge to award two Golden Buzzers during the audition phase rather than the standard one. Additionally, judges were permitted to use one Golden Buzzer during the quarter-finals, and host Terry Crews was granted two Golden Buzzers to distribute during auditions.

The live shows were marked by unexpected changes in the contestant lineup. Choir instructor Astrid Jorgensen was initially slated for the top 44 acts but was replaced by bodybuilder Mike Munz for reasons that were not disclosed. Later, during the results show on September 10, it was announced that the act Mastermind had withdrawn from the competition for personal reasons after previously advancing to the semi-finals. A planned Golden Buzzer for the semi-final episode was also abandoned following the withdrawal of another participant.

General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.

Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?

Related

• The million-dollar prize on America's Got Talent is not always a simple cash payout.
• A historic first for groups on the American Masked Singer
• The year American Idol traded Hollywood for a Nashville takeover
• The eleventh season of The Masked Singer brought major panel changes and themed nights
• How a 2013 reality competition season redefined the ballroom dance floor for twelve celebrities
• Why American and British English spellings diverge despite their shared linguistic roots
• A revolutionary legacy takes flight at India's newest greenfield airport
• How a group of owners called The Foolish Club challenged the NFL's dominance
• Why the Duchess of Doom dominated the world of professional pool for decades
• The unexpected French roots and American evolution of ASL
• Can a political party thrive by refusing to choose between Unionism and Irish Nationalism?
• The ampersand is not a letter, but a linguistic relic

More in Languages · More in Cultures · Latest · A–Z · All topics