Netflix has pushed back the premiere date for a much-anticipated reboot of a classic TV show, per Variety.
Netflix Delays Premiere of Star Search
The streamer announced on Wednesday, Dec. 10, that it will delay the premiere of Star Search, its reboot of the talent competition series which ran from 1983 until 1995. Netflix’s Star Search was slated to premiere on Jan. 13, 2026. Now, it will premiere one week later, on Jan. 20, 2026. Following its premiere, Star Search will air live twice a week, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. Each episode will include real-time voting, allowing viewers to choose which contestants move up the ranks.
Anthony Anderson Will Host the Live Competition Show
Anthony Anderson will host Star Search, stepping in for original host Ed McMahon. “I’m super excited to host this new chapter of Star Search and to introduce such an iconic format to a whole new generation, especially on a global stage like Netflix,” Anderson told Tudum. “The range of talent we’re going to see is going to blow you away, and I can’t wait for audiences to experience all the performances, surprises and sheer excitement that this new era of Star Search will deliver.”
“The talent is bigger, the stakes are higher, and the format is more interactive than ever,” reads the show’s logline. “Each episode will spotlight the best up-and-coming performers across numerous categories—music, dance, variety, comedy, magic, and juniors—as they compete head to head for their shot at stardom. With an arced competition structure and weekly eliminations with real-time global voting, the series builds dramatic momentum, making every live episode an unmissable event.”
“Every performance, every reveal, every elimination happens in real time and is powered by audience votes, creating the kind of high-stakes momentum that can shift a performer’s career in seconds,” according to Tudum.
Netflix
‘Live Voting Feature is a Total Game-Changer’
“The live voting feature is a total game-changer,” Anderson said. “Knowing that fans from all over the world can cast their votes in real time adds a whole new layer of excitement and participation to the mix. It’s like we’re all part of the show and get to be one of the judges.”
McMahon, who died at 86 in 2009, was joined by Martha Quinn as co-host in 1994. The original Star Search featured early-career performances from Beyoncé, Justin Timberlake, Dave Chappelle, Adam Sandler, and Britney Spears. Though CBS rebooted the series for a single season in 2003, it failed to take root with audiences.
