Gabrielle Union, Julianne Hough Join Judges’ Panel on ‘AGT’
Actress/author/producer Gabrielle Union and actress/dancer/singer Julianne Hough will join the judges’ panel on America’s Got Talent when season 14 rolls on NBC. Terry Crews will host.
Union and Hough take the place of Heidi Klum and Mel B. Crews, currently hosting America’s Got Talent: The Champions, succeeds Tyra Banks.
Simon Cowell and Howie Mandel return as judges. Cowell is an executive producer as well.
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America’s Got Talent airs in the summer.
“One of the many secrets to the success and longevity of America’s Got Talent is its fearless drive to reinvent itself,” said Meredith Ahr, president, alternative and reality group, NBC Entertainment. “The next evolution of the format brings in fresh expert eyes to join Simon and Howie on the panel. Gabrielle and Julianne are two of the most aspirational women in the business, on top of being electric entertainers with talent across disciplines. I am excited to see how their knowledge, compassion and sheer joy enhance the experience for acts and viewers alike.”
Ahr added, “As their partner in crime, host Terry Crews will continue to light up the stage with his quick wit and unending charm.”
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The show averaged 14 million viewers in season 13. Magician Shin Lim won the competition.
America’s Got Talent: The Champions, featuring standout contestants from the many Got Talent franchises around the globe, launched in January.
After Being Mary Jane concludes on BET in April, Union will executive produce and star in LA’s Finest on Charter’s Spectrum network. That premieres in May. Her film work includes Bring It On, Bad Boys II and Think Like a Man.
Hough was a judge on Dancing With the Stars and starred in the movies Footloose, Rock of Ages and Bigger. She was in Grease: Live on Fox and will be in the Netflix anthology series Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings. She has also produced two Miss USA broadcasts.
Crews stars in Brooklyn Nine-Nine and was in the hit film Deadpool 2. He played three seasons in the NFL.
Cowell created America’s Got Talent, which is co-produced by Fremantle and Syco Entertainment. Cowell, Sam Donnelly, Jason Raff, Trish Kinane and Richard Wallace are the executive producers.
“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 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.”
Michael Malone is content director at B+C and Multichannel News. He joined B+C in 2005 and has covered network programming, including entertainment, news and sports on broadcast, cable and streaming; and local broadcast television, including writing the "Local News Close-Up" market profiles. He also hosted the podcasts "Busted Pilot" and "Series Business." His journalism has also appeared in The New York Times, The L.A. Times, The Boston Globe and New York magazine.