AceShowbiz - Following an impressive tenure that began with "America's Got Talent" inception in 2006, Jason Raff is stepping down as showrunner due to budget cuts. Raff has been pivotal in shaping "AGT" and its various spinoffs. After wrapping up production for Season 19 in September, Raff was informed of his exit.

Fremantle COO Suzanne Lopez praised Raff's contributions, stating, "Over the last 19 years Jason has been instrumental in growing AGT to become the world's largest talent showcase. His vision and creativity are top-notch, and we are incredibly grateful for all of his contributions to this franchise."

Sam Donnelly, who joined AGT in 2014 and has shared showrunning duties with Raff, will continue as the sole showrunner moving forward. Donnelly will spearhead the upcoming 20th season, which is slated for release in May 2025.

Raff's journey with "AGT" began almost two decades ago when he was handed a DVD of a presentation for British broadcaster ITV called "Paul O'Grady's Got Talent." Although the UK network passed on it, NBC saw potential and kicked off "AGT" in June 2006.

Raff co-produced the debut season alongside Ken Warwick and moved up to executive producer after Warwick's departure. "It was a variety show and I could juggle and ride a unicycle, so I was like that looks good," Raff told Deadline, reminiscing about his decision to join the project.

Raff also developed and ran several AGT spinoffs, including "America's Got Talent: The Champions," "AGT: Extreme," "America's Got Talent: All-Stars," and "America's Got Talent: Fantasy League." Over his career with AGT, Raff produced 485 original episodes, including 140 hours of live content, helping turn everyday talents into stars.

Simon Cowell, who created the show, continues to serve as a judge alongside Heidi Klum, Howie Mandel, and Sofia Vergara, with Terry Crews as the host. Past judges have included luminaries like David Hasselhoff, Brandy, Melanie Brown, and Piers Morgan, while hosting duties have previously been taken on by Regis Philbin, Jerry Springer, Nick Cannon, and Tyra Banks.

Reflecting on his time with "AGT", Raff cherishes moments like discovering talents such as 12-year-old Grace VanderWaal. "We take thousands of people each year... but sometimes someone would come in, and this is the best feeling I ever got from the show, when someone would come in and perform and you'd get goosebumps because you knew in six months, this person's life is going to completely change," he said.

Though Raff's departure is bittersweet, he remains upbeat about the future and is now seeking new projects through his own Furry Prawn Productions. As "AGT" prepares to enter a new era under Donnelly's sole leadership, the show's legacy, crafted meticulously by Raff, assures fans that the future of this talent showcase will continue to shine brightly.