NBC’s summer sensation “America’s Got Talent” revs up the excitement for season 14 with award-winning actress, author and producer Gabrielle Union and actress, dancer, singer and Emmy Award-winning choreographer Julianne Hough joining the judging panel. In addition, Terry Crews will serve as host of the hit series, a role he currently fills on the highly rated “America’s Got Talent: The Champions.”
Union and Hough will now join executive producer Simon Cowell and Howie Mandel as they return to their roles as judges.
“Our millions of longtime viewers have already embraced Terry as the host of ‘AGT: The Champions,’ and we are excited to welcome Gabrielle and Julianne to the ‘AGT’ family,” said Trish Kinane, President of Entertainment Programming, Fremantle North America. “They are ready to bring a new level of expertise, energy, entertainment and fun to our judging panel.”
“America’s Got Talent” has remained summer’s No. 1 alternative show for 13 seasons. The series once again dominated the summer television landscape this past summer, averaging 14 million viewers per episode, with magician Shin Lim going on to win the competition. So why remove the two female judges and its host Tyra Banks? Behind the scenes it was because AGT won’t be the only talent show on television anymore.The World’s Bestjust premiered and an executive on the show claimed the NBC show already started fighting back. A CBS executive reportedly said “It’s a competitive industry and no one is more competitive than NBC. That’s why they have America’s Got Talent: The Champions on. That was a direct shot at us.That’s okay; we’re ready for the challenge."
So the replacements are probably to refresh America’s Got Talent, especially since it has new competition on television. We will have to wait and see how the change will affect the show next season.
Union is well known for her roles in several high-profile films, including “Bring It On,” “Bad Boys II,” “Think Like a Man,” and last summer’s hit movie for Universal “Breaking In.” Union is known for her hit show “Being Mary Jane” which will have its two-hour finale in April on BET. Her bestselling memoir, “We’re Going to Need More Wine,” was released in 2017.
Hough is a two-time professional dance champion and has appeared as a judge on “Dancing with the Stars” and has starred in such films as “Footloose,” “Rock of Ages,” “Safe Haven” and the recent “Bigger.” She earned rave reviews in the Emmy-winning broadcast “Grease: Live” and will be seen in the upcoming Netflix anthology series “Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings.” She has produced two Miss USA broadcasts and various Disney holiday specials, has been featured in numerous high-profile campaigns and is active in a wide range of philanthropic endeavors, charities and humanitarian efforts.
The “Got Talent” format has had more than 900 million global viewers since it began airing in 2006 in America, and has aired in 194 territories worldwide. “Got Talent” holds the Guinness World Records title as the Most Successful Reality Television Format in history, with 70 local versions produced across Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Africa and the Americas.