KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 23 — Nine Akademi Fantasia (AF) winners have been unveiled as the first contestants for the 13th season of Gegar Vaganza, which will pit the reality show’s champions against one another.

The lineup announced at Menara Ken TTDI yesterday comprises Vince Chong (AF1), Zahid Baharuddin (AF2), Mawi (AF3), Faizal Ramly (AF4), Mila Jirin (AF5), Stacy (AF6), Shahir (AF8), Faizul Sany (AF10) and Firman Bansir (AF11).

The remaining four of the 13 contestants will be announced at a later date.

Dubbed Gegar Vaganza Fantasia, the season is part of Astro’s 30th anniversary celebrations.

“For the first time, the Gegar Vaganza stage will bring together champions who have made history on Akademi Fantasia,” Astro vice-president of Malay entertainment content development strategy Raqim Ahmad said.

Nabil Ahmad, Jihan Muse and Sherry Alhadad return as hosts, while Datuk Ramli MS, Hetty Koes Endang and Datuk Syafinaz Selamat are back on the judges’ panel.

Former AF instructors will also sit in as guest judges.

A new fan-voting feature on the Gegar Vaganza WhatsApp chatbot will count for 10 per cent of each contestant’s score, with the judges deciding the other 90 per cent.

The winner will receive RM100,000, the runner-up RM50,000 and the third-placed contestant RM30,000.

Gegar Vaganza Fantasia debuts on November 8 and runs for 11 weeks, airing every Sunday at 9pm on Astro Ria (Channel 104), live from the MBSA Auditorium in Shah Alam.