Star Search: Trailer, certificate and where to watch
The US talent contest that launched Britney Spears returns as a live show with audience voting
Year: 2026
Certificate: 12
Britney Spears, Beyoncé, Ray Romano, Alanis Morissette, Adam Sandler, Justin Timberlake, Martin Lawrence - the number of stars launched by vintage US series Star Search is really quite something. Hosted by Ed McMahon between 1983 and 1995 and somewhat reminiscent of the UK's Opportunity Knocks, it featured children and adults competing across a variety of categories, from singing to dancing to comedy. The show was revived on US TV in 2003 with Arsenio Hall as host, but it didn't last - and now it's coming to Netflix as a live competition, with comedian and actor Anthony Anderson (star of the sitcom Black-ish) as its host.
Showing twice a week and with a similar structure to the old show for the contestants, the big difference with the Netflix version is in the voting - the audience will decide who continues in the competition by casting votes live during the episodes. And, while that live experience isn't well-timed to UK audiences - episodes arrive at 2am early on Wednesdays and Thursdays - the idea of a talent contest in which anyone across the world can vote is an intriguing premise.
