California is struggling to keep its iconic reality competition series filming in the Golden State after it emerged that another long-running series is considering an exit.
America’s Got Talent is the latest show that may move production out of California for its next season, coming days after Deadline revealed that American Idol is on its way to Georgia.
Deadline understands that no final decision has been made but Fremantle and Simon Cowell’s Syco are considering moving the NBC show to Georgia or Tennessee, per a TMZ report, ahead of Season 22.
It would be another blow for the state and the local industry as AGT has predominantly filmed at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium across its 21 seasons. The venue has seen the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Bob Dylan and Bob Hope grace its stage and was also the location of The Motown 25th Anniversary Television Special.
The report comes as AGT is in its final week with the first part of its finale airing tonight and the second part airing tomorrow (Wednesday, September 22). The series is hosted by Terry Crews with Howie Mandel, Mel B, Sofia Vergara and Cowell as judges.
Fremantle knows the issue of relocation well; Idol is moving to Georgia for its upcoming Season 25. The state offers up to a 30% tax credit for unscripted and reality television productions that spend at least $500,000 in the state.
Idol becomes the second big reality competition series to move in the last twelve months after Deadline revealed earlier this year that The Masked Singer was moving from LA to New Jersey for Season 15.
Many in the LA industry are concerned that the exodus will have a negative impact on the local business and are hoping that other big-ticket unscripted shows such as Dancing with the Stars and The Voice don’t also up and leave.
Last year, California expanded its film and television tax credit after California legislators passed AB 1138. The expanded system introduced tax credits for certain unscripted productions for the first time, although only “large-scale competition shows” that have a minimum budget of $1M per episode were eligible. Deadline understands that Idol didn’t qualify for this and we’ve heard that a number of other competition shows have struggled to meet the requirements.
AGT was created by Cowell, who exec produces alongside Sam Donnelly and Natasha Brugler.
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