‘America’s Got Talent’ Season 21 Episode 16 Release Date, Time, and Where to Watch the Live Quarterfinal

The live rounds of ‘America’s Got Talent’ Season 21 keep pushing forward, and the next stop for viewers is Episode 16, the third quarterfinal night of the summer. With voting now fully in the hands of the audience and no judge-driven saves left on the table, every performance in this round carries real weight for the acts hoping to reach the semifinals.

This episode also lands during an unusual stretch for the judging panel, since one of the show’s most recognizable faces will not be behind the desk. Here is what to know about when ‘America’s Got Talent’ Season 21 Episode 16 airs, how to watch it, and what the night has in store.

Release Date and Time for Episode 16

Episode 16 of ‘America’s Got Talent’ Season 21 is titled Quarterfinals 3 and is scheduled to air on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, at 8 p.m. That places it squarely within the show’s established live rotation, where Tuesday performance episodes are followed by Wednesday results shows, a pattern that has carried the Quarterfinals from mid August through early September.

This round of Quarterfinals began on August 18 and continues through September 8, after which the Semifinals arrive on September 15 and 16, followed by the Finals and Finale on September 22 and 23. Episode 16 sits in the middle of that stretch, meaning the competition still has real distance to cover before a finalist field is set.

The season’s final Quarterfinal night on September 8 is set up as an extended three hour live event with immediate voting and instant results, and no new episode the following day. That detail underscores how tightly the production has structured this year’s live rounds, with Episode 16 acting as one of the steadier, more traditional installments before that unusual finish.

Where to Watch the Live Quarterfinal Broadcast

Live episodes of ‘America’s Got Talent’ air at 8 p.m. Eastern on NBC, and fans can also stream the broadcast in real time through Peacock Premium Plus or the NBC app on a connected smart television using cable provider credentials. For anyone without a traditional cable package, the season is also available through streaming services including fuboTV, YouTube TV, and Peacock Premium, in addition to NBC’s free ad supported option.

Viewers who prefer to catch up rather than watch live are not without options. New episodes typically become available for streaming on Peacock the day after they air on NBC. That means anyone who misses the September 1 broadcast can expect Episode 16 to land on the platform by the following morning.

The show has leaned into a two screen viewing habit this season as well. Clips, sneak peeks, and highlight reels from each live show are regularly posted on NBC’s official ‘America’s Got Talent’ page shortly after episodes air. That gives fans a way to sample standout moments even before they sit down for the full replay.

Who Is Performing in Quarterfinals 3

The September 1 lineup brings a genuinely varied mix of specialties to the stage. The eleven acts set to perform include the dancing dog group Acro Canine Crew, comedian Daniel Alvarez, singer Elsie, musical poet Guy Kelton Jones, aerialist and sword swallower Herwan Legaillard, aerial duo Holland and Sienna, singer Isaac Atkins, magician Kameron Marshall, singer Lai Noelle, contortionist Maria, and singer Pynk Beard.

That roster includes some familiar names from earlier in the season. Lai Noelle in particular has already made an impression on the judges, since she was one of the acts to receive a Golden Buzzer from Simon Cowell during the audition rounds, part of what was described as the show’s first ever three Golden Buzzer night.

By the time Episode 16 airs, the field will already be narrowing. Three acts, Royal Lasers, dog act Olivia Befus, and rapper Luke Taleno, have already advanced to the Semifinals, while magic group Hundred Fingers has secured a spot directly in the Finals. Every act performing on September 1 is competing for a limited number of remaining slots, since judge Golden Buzzers have all been used, leaving the outcome entirely in the hands of viewer votes.

The results from this round will not be immediate. Following the format the show has used all season, the September 1 performances will be followed by a dedicated results episode, continuing the pattern of pairing a Tuesday performance show with a Wednesday night reveal of which acts move forward.

Simon Cowell’s Absence and the Judging Panel

Episode 16 arrives during a notable shakeup at the judges’ table. Simon Cowell, who serves as both a judge and executive producer on the show, will miss several weeks of the competition due to a routine back surgery, according to reporting from Entertainment Weekly. The procedure is tied to lingering issues stemming from his 2020 electric bike accident, and sources have described it as routine rather than a new or serious health concern.

His absence was already felt during the previous quarterfinal broadcast. Host Terry Crews addressed Cowell’s empty chair directly on the August 25 episode, telling viewers that Cowell was having an operation that could not be postponed, was not an emergency, and that the cast was sending him well wishes for a speedy recovery.

A permanent replacement has not been named, and the plan appears to favor variety over a single stand in. Sources have indicated that several guest judges are being arranged to temporarily fill Cowell’s seat during his time away. It also remains unclear whether one guest will cover the entire absence or whether the seat will rotate among multiple names, since NBC has not confirmed specifics.

This is not unfamiliar territory for the franchise. When Cowell was sidelined during a similar stretch in Season 15, Kelly Clarkson filled in for the first night of that year’s Quarterfinals, while Kenan Thompson took the seat for night two, with the remaining judges sitting without a fourth panelist for the rest of the season. Whether Episode 16 follows a similar pattern or introduces a new guest judge for the September 1 broadcast is something viewers will only know once the show airs.

With eleven more acts fighting for a handful of remaining spots and the judges’ panel looking a little different than usual, this quarterfinal night has plenty riding on it, so which of the September 1 performers do you think deserves to hear their name called in the results show.