Studio audience back for KBC season 1, Bachchan says show will return including the reinstatement of the studio audience

Amitabh Bachchan-hosted popular game show "Kaun Banega Crorepati" (KBC) will be returning with its latest edition along with a host of new additions to the format, including the reinstatement of the studio audience.

Last year, the 12th season of 'KBC' underwent several changes to adapt to the social distancing norms of shooting amid the coronavirus pandemic. For the first time in 20 years, the show hosted no live audience and hence, the lifeline 'audience poll' was replaced by video-a-friend.

According to a statement from Sony Entertainment Television, the show's upcoming 13th season will see a return of the lifeline.

The other three lifelines are 50:50, Ask The Expert and Flip The Question. "When it comes to lifelines, yes, the 'Audience Poll' is making a comeback this season. With the studio audience being reinstated, the entire vibe of the show has been raised a few notches higher," the statement read.

Bachchan, who began filming the show last week, said he is thrilled that the studio audience is back on set. "It was probably for the first time, last season, that the studio audience wasn't a part of the show and we saw a major change in the lifelines as well. I for one, truly missed them and their energy... It's infectious.

Bachchan has hosted the show since its inception in 2000, except for the third season in 2007, which was hosted by superstar Shah Rukh Khan. For the latest season, changes have also been incorporated to 'Fastest Finger First' segment, which decides the contestant who will next take the Hot Seat opposite Bachchan.

The segment has been modified to 'Fastest Finger First – Triple Test'. Instead of one question, the answer to which had to be chronologically aligned, contestants will now have to answer three general knowledge questions. "A leaderboard will showcase the time taken by each contestant to answer the respective questions and the one to answer all three (3) questions correctly in the shortest amount of time will head straight to the Hot Seat," the statement read.

The entire look and feel of the set will also be different, from the floor LED to the use of AR (Augmented Reality). "A refreshed motorised virtual ceiling and gameplay graphics has been re-engineered. The game timer, that has everyone at the edge of their seats has been aptly re-christened as Dhuk-Dhuki ji," as per the statement.

Siddhartha Basu, Consultant for KBC season 13, said it's heartening to see the show remain an audience-favourite even after 21 years. "Each season, we've seen participants coming on to the hot seat from across the country, with varied levels of education and occupations, each with a distinct

Produced by StudioNEXT, Kaun Banega Crorepati season 13 will premiere on August 23 on Sony Entertainment Television.