"Talent", "Comic" get thumbs-up from NBC

Judge David Hasselhoff smiles at the panel for the NBC television show ''America's Got Talent'' during the ''Television Critics Association'' summer 2006 media tour in Pasadena, California, July 21, 2006. NBC has renewed its summer reality competition series ''America's Got Talent'' and ''Last Comic Standing.''

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - NBC has renewed its summer reality competition series "America's Got Talent" and "Last Comic Standing."

"Talent" will return for a third season next summer, while "Comic" will be back for its sixth.

"Talent," which airs at 8 p.m. Tuesdays, is averaging 12.1 million total viewers and a 3.6 rating/11 share in the adults 18-49 demographic, according to Nielsen Media Research. The show, which ranks as the most-watched primetime series of the summer in total viewers, also has improved its time slot in the demo by 21 percent compared with summer 2006.

"Comic," which airs at 9 p.m. Wednesdays, is averaging 6.7 million total viewers and a 2.8/8 in the demo.

The news follows a recent announcement by Ben Silverman, co-chairman of NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios, that another summer reality series, "The Singing Bee," would be given a spot on the schedule in the fall, starting September 25. It originally had been targeted to return later in the season.

No decision has been made on a second season of NBC's relationship-themed "Age of Love," also airing this summer.

"Talent" concludes its second season with a two-hour live episode August 21, in which the million-dollar winner will be named. The live, two-hour fifth-season finale for "Comic" will air September 19, when one comedian will be awarded a $250,000 prize, an exclusive talent contract with NBC Universal and a half-hour comedy special on Bravo.

This season, "Comic" is hosted by Bill Bellamy; Jerry Springer is the current host of "Talent." Both hosts -- along with "Talent" judges David Hasselhoff, Sharon Osbourne and Piers Morgan -- will be back next year.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter