TWO-HOUR "MAT FRANCO'S GOT MAGIC" SPECIAL SET FOR THURSDAY, SEPT. 17 ON NBC

Neil Patrick Harris, Heidi Klum, Rob Gronkowski, Jason Mraz, Penn & Teller and others set to appear

"America's Got Talent" Season 9 Winner Brings Viewers Along for his Journey to Las Vegas in Preparation for New Headlining production MAGIC REINVENTED NIGHTLY at The LINQ Hotel & Casino

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. - July 22, 2015 - Magician Mat Franco, who last year rose above tens of thousands of acts to become the season 9 winner of NBC's hit reality-competition series "America's Got Talent," will bring his special "Mat Franco's Got Magic" to NBC on Thursday, Sept. 17 (9-11 p.m. ET). The special will feature appearances by Neil Patrick Harris, Heidi Klum, Rob Gronkowski, Jason Mraz, Penn & Teller and others.

"Mat Franco's Got Magic" will capture Franco traveling from his home in Rhode Island to Las Vegas, stopping off at incredible locations, wowing celebrities, performing street magic and visiting the family, friends and everyday Americans who helped make his dream come true. When he reaches his final destination, Franco will learn what it takes to put on a high-profile show and fulfill his dreams of becoming a headlining act in Las Vegas at The LINQ Hotel & Casino.

As a lead-in to "Mat Franco's Got Magic," NBC has previously announced that "Jeff Dunham: Unhinged in Hollywood" will air at 8-9 p.m. Sept. 17. Taped before a live audience at the Dolby Theatre on Aug. 19, the special will feature the wildly popular comedian and ventriloquist and his special guests - country music superstar Brad Paisley, comedian Chris Parnell and MMA champ Chuck Lidell.

MAGIC REINVENTED NIGHTLY will open on August 5 at the newly renovated LINQ Theater at The LINQ Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. The unique show will offer both boundless fun and a stunning sense of thrill and wonder, with a fresh, fun, and feel-good twist on magic that defies all expectations. In a full-scale production built on brand-new, never-before-seen material, the 27-year-old magician will deliver his most spectacular performance yet, while maintaining his love of getting up close with the crowd at the heart of every show. With his signature brand of breezy humor, Mat will mix his amazingly inventive and always stunning magic with crowd-guided improv to create a once-in-a-lifetime adventure that's completely unique to each audience and entirely unforgettable.

Tickets may be purchased in person at the LINQ box office, calling (855) 234-7469 or online by visiting ticketmaster.com. A VIP experience is also available.

Franco is the first and only magician to win NBC's "America's Got Talent." Almost entirely self-taught, Mat began developing his own shows before the age of 10 and took the stage at the Riviera Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas by the time he was 15.

"Mat Franco's Got Magic" is produced by FremantleMedia North America and Syco Entertainment and distributed internationally by FremantleMedia International. Executive producers are Thom Beers, Toby Gorman and Sean Hancock.

About FremantleMedia North America

FremantleMedia North America (FMNA) is the U.S. arm of global media giant FremantleMedia, which includes a distribution arm, FremantleMedia International, a digital and branded entertainment division and a kids & family entertainment business. As one of the world's largest and most successful creators, producers and distributors of TV brands in the world, FremantleMedia's comprehensive global network has operations in 28 countries, creating over 10,000 hours of programming a year, rolling out more than 45 formats and managing over 350 individual titles. The company also distributes more than 20,000 hours of content in over 200 territories. FMNA and its portfolio of companies, including Original Productions and 495 Productions, produce entertaining and innovative scripted and alternative programs for network, cable, syndicated and online platforms. Their slate includes a diverse range of both critically-acclaimed and award-winning successes including "American Idol" (FOX), "America's Got Talent" (NBC), "Family Feud" (SYN), "Let's Make A Deal" (CBS), "The Price Is Right" (CBS), "The Great Christmas Light Fight" (ABC), "Deadliest Catch" (Discovery), "Married to Medicine" (Bravo), "Party Down South" (CMT), "Ice Road Truckers" (HISTORY), "Storage Wars" (A&E), "Celebrity Family Feud" (ABC), "Celebrity Name Game" (SYN), "American Gods" (STARZ) , among others.