Is NBC’s ‘America’s Got Talent’ Scripted? Inside the Details of the Competition Series

There are new reality shows that pop up consistently in the world of Hollywood, and their success rate tends to vary. However, one of the longest-running reality shows is NBC’s competition series America’s Got Talent, in its 20th season in 2025. Now that the show has returned, the long-simmering claims of the series being scripted have resurfaced, so let’s find out if there's any truth to them.

Premiering in June 2006, America’s Got Talent has featured a wide array of judges and hosts throughout the course of its 20 seasons, including series creator Simon Cowell, Heidi Klum, Howie Mandel, Nick Cannon, Tyra Banks, and Terry Crews.

One of the running talking points with fans when it comes to the reality shows of their choice is whether or not they are scripted or if what is shown is 100 percent authentic. America’s Got Talent is not immune to the same criticism and inquiries, despite being a talent competition.

There has been no concrete evidence or confirmation for anyone involved with the show (past or present) that America’s Got Talent is scripted. However, it should be noted that reality shows are entertainment, and in order for them to flow a certain way and to guide viewers along throughout the season, there are naturally elements that are likely orchestrated.

One of the elements of the show that some fans feel is scripted is the auditions, which some have labeled as “staged,” per Reddit. “I just find it so irritating that when singers get stopped by Simon, it always feels so fake to the point that producers tell the plan to him, then the contestants to play along, it seems so disingenuous,” one user wrote.

Additional comments from Redditors included: “Turned me off so much. So staged at this point,” “The show was never a legitimate competition. It was always curated content for maximum emotional effect,” and “I enjoy the show since I enjoy talent. But the staged auditions are frustrating to me.”

In an exclusive May 2025 interview with PEOPLE, Simon offered an in-depth analysis of the show’s success. "It was a very difficult show to sell actually, to be honest with you," he said of the process to get America’s Got Talent off the ground. "Because we made a pilot and the pilot was dreadful, I mean really, really bad. So, it was dead."

"They called me and they said, 'What's this new show like?' And I went, 'Oh, it's brilliant.,'" Simon recalled. "And they said, 'Can we have a look at it?' And I said, 'Yeah, come over to the house. They came over and I just showed two minutes or three minutes of this show. And they loved it. They bought it. And that was it. If they hadn't made that call or come to my house that day, we wouldn't be having this conversation today because the show, honestly, it was over."

"Once I'd done Idol and I enjoyed it, I kind of thought, 'I think I'd probably enjoy a show that has singers along with other acts,’" he told the outlet of how his successful run as one of the original judges on American Idol led to creating America’s Got Talent. “It was a light bulb moment ... And it evolved into what it is now."

"Personally, I think the best thing we ever did was to say, 'Why don't we have a competition, which is a talent competition, where there are no restrictions?'" Simon added. "To have that kind of freedom is brilliant because you're not restricted by anything and you're always constantly surprised at what people come up with."