Simon Cowell Hosts AGT Judges' Callbacks in His Garden

America's Got Talent introduces a new Judges' Callbacks round in Season 21 that sends selected acts to perform in more intimate settings — including Simon Cowell's garden.

The idea began when a producer suggested each judge pick contestants they'd like to see a second time. Cowell volunteered first, spending a day talking with the performers and then watching them perform the following day in his garden. Each judge chose a handful of acts for the new round.

Cowell said the extra time with contestants, often 30 to 40 minutes each, revealed sides of them viewers might not otherwise see and helped him understand their reasons for coming on the show. He described one garden performance as one of the most surreal moments of his career.

AGT Season 21 premieres tonight at 8 p.m. ET on NBC, with the episode available the following day on Peacock; an all-day livestream event begins June 2 at 2 p.m. ET.

United States

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