The World's Best is an American reality talent competition television series that aired on CBS. Created by Mark Burnett and Mike Darnell, and hosted by comedian James Corden, the series featured performers being evaluated by three judges and the "Wall of the World"—an international panel of 50 experts in various forms of entertainment.
It premiered on CBS on February 3, 2019; its first and only season was won by Indian pianist Lydian Nadhaswaram.
Production CBS ordered The World's Best in February 2018; CBS SVP of alternative programming Sharon Vuong credited Mark Burnett and Mike Darnell's experience in the reality genre, stating that they "understand how to create compelling competition and build enduring franchises", and that it would be a "unique, original format with global scale". Darnell felt that The World's Best was "the next new spin on a variety show", and defended comparisons to a competitor, NBC's America's Got Talent (which, in May, would announce an all-star spin-off series, America's Got Talent: The Champions) by emphasizing its "dramatic" scoring system and international focus as differentiating it from other talent competition series. James Corden, then-host of CBS's The Late Late Show, would serve as host.
Format Each act is judged by three main judges of American origin, as well as the "Wall of the World" — an international panel of 50 experts in various fields of entertainment. Each judge scores a performance on a scale from 0 to 50, while each member of the Wall panel can give a yes or no vote. The average of the judges' scores, and the number of votes given by the Wall, are totaled into a maximum possible score of 100.
Acts who achieved at least 75 points advance to the Battle round, where the acts are paired into duels against each other. In each battle, the judges score the acts in a similar manner to the audition round, but the Wall votes between the two acts instead.
In the Champions round, the twelve acts who advanced from the battles are grouped into four divisions (consisting of solo and group competitions in "Music" and "Variety" categories) with three acts each. The act with the lowest score from the American judges is automatically given third place, and a finalist is determined between the remaining two with the main judges' score and the Wall's votes, in the same manner as the Battle round. The winning finalists in each category also each receive a $50,000 prize.
In the finale, semi-final performances are conducted between the solo and group champions in the Music and Variety categories. The winners of each advance to the finals to determine the champion, who wins a $1,000,000 grand prize.
Broadcast The World's Best premiered on February 3, 2019, following the conclusion of CBS' coverage of Super Bowl LIII.
In August 2019, CBS president of entertainment Kelly Kahl stated that the network had not yet decided whether The World's Best would be renewed for a second season. Kahl explained that the network "enjoyed the show creatively", but that they would "probably tweak the format a little" if renewed. As of April 2021, CBS had not renewed the series.
Panelists The members of the "Wall of the World" include: CountryContinent Judge OccupationOceania Aaron Cash Dancer and choreographerAmerica Alberto Belli DirectorAsia Alex Wright K-pop producerAmerica Anderson Silva MMA fighter, former and longest-reigning holder of the UFC Middleweight ChampionshipEurope Angela Groothuizen Singer and TV personalityAmerica Ariadna Gutiérrez Miss Colombia 2014, Miss Universe 2015 runner-upAsia Arthur Gourounlian Creative director and choreographer AfghanistanAsia Aryana Sayeed Singer and TV personalityEurope Carlos Latre Comedian and actorEurope Caroline Morahan Actress and TV hostEurope Cecilie Lassen Ballet dancerEurope Chantal Janzen Actress, singer and TV presenterAmerica Chinzõ Machida Shotokan black beltEurope Dave Eringa Record producerEurope Del Mak ChoreographerEurope Dennis Jauch Dancer and choreographerEurope Essaï Altounian MusicianEurope Galabina Kamenova GymnastEurope Galena Velikova Dancesport athleteAsia Gia Noortas Actress and filmmakerAsia Hokuto Konishi Dancer and choreographerEurope Ida Nowakowska Actress and ballerinaEurope Jorge González TV personalityAfrica Kate Henshaw ActressAsia Kathy Wu Actress and TV personalityAmerica Keshia Chanté Singer and songwriterAsia Kobi Rozenfeld Choreographer and creative directorAfrica Lira MusicianAmerica Luigie "Lugo" Gonzalez Record producerAsia Makoto Deguchi Theater producerEurope Margareta Svensson Musical artist and vocal coachAsia Nakul Dev Mahajan Bollywood choreographerAmerica Nathalie Yves Gauthier Circus expertEurope Nazan Eckes TV host and judgeAmerica Patricia Manterola Telenovela star and singerAmerica Paulina Aguirre SingerEurope Petra Sprecher StuntwomanAsia Pops Fernandez Musician and TV personalityOceania Rikishi Professional wrestler, WWE Hall of Fame performerAsia Rokit Bay Rapper and music producerEurope Ross King BroadcasterAmerica Sergio Trujillo Broadway choreographerAfrica Shado Twala Radio and TV personalityEurope Sisco Gomez Choreographer and TV personalityEurope Slava N. Jakovleff Film director and TV producerEurope Slongs Dievanongs RapperAmerica Stu Golfman Comedy talent agentEurope Stuart MacLeod MagicianAfrica Tats Nkonzo Comedian and musicianAsia Thai Nguyen Fashion designer and TV personalityAsia William Yuekun Yu Peking opera actorEurope Yemi A.D. Celebrity choreographer and creative directorEurope Zoë Tyler Vocal coach and TV personalityAfrica Zora DeHorter International casting director
Season 1 (2019)
Auditions The act received enough points to advance to the next round The act did not receive enough points to advance to the next round
Week 1 Act Country Talent Judge Score Wall Score Final score Kukkiwon Martial Arts Acrobats495099 TNT Boys Singing Trio 49 5099 Space Cowboy Sword Swallower 32 2557 Enkh Erdene Country Singer484997 Manami Ito Violinist404686 Matt Johnson Escape Artist453681 Week 2 Act Country Talent Judge Score Wall ScoreFinal ScoreNaturally 7 Acapella Group474895 Dundu Puppetry Performers 484997Iya Traoré Soccer Freestyler352964Sister Cristina Scuccia Singing Nun413778Justin Flom Magician494695 Duo Suining Hand Balancers464591 Lydian Nadhaswaram Pianist414485 Krystyna & PrincessHypnodog291241 Jordan McKnight Contortionist494291 Kai & Alexandra Upside Down Clown Duo363369Jade Kindar-Martin Highwire Walker353671Dimash Kudaibergen Vocally Diverse Singer 50 4898 Week 3
Act Country Talent Judge Score Wall ScoreFinal Score Shaolin Yanze Kung Fu434689 Daneliya Tuleshova Singer 474996 Nina Conti Ventriloquist 424385 Duo Nigretai Aerialist Duo374481 Liliac Band Rock Band484391 Emotional LinePopping Dance Group393069 William Close Earth Harp Player & Creator424587 Los Vivancos Variety Dancers424284 Li Wei Slackline Daredevil444690 Vonnie Lopez Gospel Singer484492
Battle Rounds
The act won the battle and advanced to the next round The act lost the battle and did not advance to the next round
Week 4 Order Act Country Talent Judge Score Wall Score Final score1Justin Flom Magician453580 Jordan McKnight Contortionist4215572 Lydian Nadhaswaram Pianist433174 Enkh Erdene Country Singer4519643 Matt Johnson Escape Artist341751 Li Wei Slackline Daredevil4033734 Manami Ito Violinist372360 Daneliya Tuleshova Singer4427715Sister Cristina Scuccia Singing Nun35439Dimash Kudaibergen Vocally Diverse Singer484694
Week 5 Order Act Country Talent Judge Score Wall Score Final score1 Los Vivancos Variety Dancers421759 Kukkiwon Martial Arts Acrobats5033832 Nina Conti Ventriloquist423981 Space Cowboy Sword Swallower3311443 William Close Earth Harp Player 39140 Naturally 7 Acapella Group4649954 Duo Suining Hand Balancers381351 Dundu Puppetry Performers4137785TNT Boys Singing Trio504797Emotional Line Popping Dance Group40343 Week 6 Order Act Country Talent Judge Score Wall Score Final score1 Shaolin Yanze Kung Fu432871 Duo Nigretai Aerialist Duo4322652 Liliac Band Rock Band431457 Vonnie Lopez Gospel Singer473683
Champion Rounds The act won the category and advanced to the next round The act came in second in the category and did not advance to the next round The act finished in third place after receiving the lowest rating from the American judges The act decided to withdraw from the competition Category Act Country Talent Judge Score Wall Score Final score Solo VarietyJustin Flom Magician422466 Li Wei Slackline Daredevil colspan=2 3rd place Nina Conti Ventriloquist452671 Group Music Naturally 7 Acapella Group433275 Vonnie Lopez Gospel Singer colspan=2 3rd place TNT Boys Singing Trio491867 Group VarietyKukkiwonMartial Arts Acrobats503383DunduPuppetry Performers48 1765Shaolin YanzeKung Fu colspan=2 3rd place Solo MusicDaneliya TuleshovaSinger48755Lydian NadhaswaramPianist444387Dimash KudaibergenVocally Diverse Singer colspan=2 Withdrew
Finale Category Act Country Talent Judge Score Wall Score Final score MusicLydian Nadhaswaram Pianist473481Naturally 7 Acapella Group481664 VarietyKukkiwonMartial Arts Acrobats483078 Nina Conti Ventriloquist432063 Final 2KukkiwonMartial Arts Acrobats501363Lydian Nadhaswaram Pianist473784
Elimination Table Emotional Line and Space Cowboy were brought back to the Battle Rounds to fill out The Top 24. ActCountryTalentPosition ReachedLydian NadhaswaramPianist WinnerKukkiwonMartial Arts Acrobats Runner-UpNina ContiVentriloquist Top 4Naturally 7Acapella GroupDaneliya TuleshovaSingerTop 8DunduPuppetry PerformersTNT BoysSinging TrioJustin FlomMagicianDimash KudaibergenVocally Diverse Singer Withdrew; Top 12Shaolin YanzeKung FuTop 12Vonnie LopezGospel SingerLi WeiSlackline DaredevilLiliac BandRock BandTop 24Duo NigretaiAerialist DuoEmotional LinePopping Dance GroupDuo SuiningHand BalancersWilliam CloseEarth Harp Player & CreatorSpace CowboySword SwallowerLos VivancosVariety DancersSister Cristina ScucciaSinging NunManami ItoViolinistMatt JohnsonEscape ArtistEnkh ErdeneCountry SingerJordan McKnightContortionistJade Kindar-MartinHighwire WalkerEliminatedKai & AlexandraUpside Down Clown DuoKrystyna & PrincessHypnodogIya TraoréSoccer Freestyler
Ratings # Air Date 18–49(rating/share) Viewers(millions) Source 1 February 3, 2019 7.0/29 22.21 2/3 February 6, 2019 1.0/5 5.56 4 February 13, 2019 0.9/5 5.85 5/6 February 20, 2019 0.6/3 3.65 7/8 February 27, 2019 0.4/2 2.64 9/10 March 6, 2019 0.6/3 2.90 11/12 March 13, 2019 0.6/3 3.60
Contestants who appeared on other shows
Sister Cristina Scuccia won the second season of The Voice of Italy and competed in the 14th Italian version of Dancing with the Stars, where she made it to the semifinals. Daneliya Tuleshova represented Kazakhstan at the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2018 finishing in sixth position. She participated in The Voice Kids Ukraine in 2017 and won, and also, in 2018 she won "BRAVO AWARDS" in Russia. She later went on the fifteenth season of America's Got Talent, where she made it to the finale. Dimash Kudaibergen was the 2015 Grand Prix champion of the International Festival of Arts Slavianski Bazaar. He then became runner-up during the fifth season of China's I Am a Singer. Enkh Erdene was the second season winner of Mongolia's Got Talent. Jordan McKnight competed on the tenth season of America's Got Talent, where she passed through the auditions but did not make the Top 80. Krystyna & Princess appeared on the ninth series of Britain's Got Talent, where they passed through the auditions but did not make the Semifinals. Matt Johnson made it to the semifinals in series 12 of Britain's Got Talent. Space Cowboy competed on multiple seasons of Australia's Got Talent, most recently in 2019. TNT Boys won the second season of Philippines' Your Face Sounds Familiar Kids; then appeared on Little Big Shots, Little Big Shots UK, and the Little Big Shots Australia, Little Big Shots (China) in 2018.