We've been hearing rumors for a bit now that America's Got Talent was going to be switching things up with its hosts and even some judges for its upcoming Season 14, and now we know that this is, indeed, the case, and who will be taking over. As you may have guessed from the photo that tops this article, Terry Crews, who's been killing it as host of America’s Got Talent: The Champions for several weeks now, will be taking over from Tyra Banks as host of the competition. And, the judges panel will be losing Mel B and Heidi Klum when the show hits the airwaves this summer, with Gabrielle Union and Julianne Hough taking over for the exiting duo.
NBC confirmed the news today that Tyra Banks, Mel B and Heidi Klum would all be stepping down from their posts on America's Got Talent and that they'd be replaced by Terry Crews on the host front, and actress Gabrielle Union and dancer Julianne Hough in the judges' seats. If you're worried that your favorite show is changing too much, though, don't worry, because Simon Cowell and Howie Mandel will be returning to judge the hopeful acts as they have for several years now.
Terry Crews is no surprise as new host for the reality competition. As mentioned earlier, he's been hosting America’s Got Talent: The Champions, which brought back 50 of the biggest global acts from past seasons of the franchise, since the inaugural season of this mega-contest began on January 7. And, he's been bringing just as much heart and enthusiasm as he usually does to his many projects. While Crews hosted the sports competition Ultimate Beastmaster for Netflix in 2017, he's more well-known as an actor and product spokesman, but that doesn't mean his many skills aren't well utilized in the hosting role.
If you don't know Terry Crews, you've been missing out. The former professional football player has made great strides in his acting career since he started on the syndicated game show Battle Dome in 1999. Crews has played a wide variety of tough guys, tough but loving fathers, unintentionally funny men and kindhearted muscle men during his time on screen and always made the most of every part he's won. He's most recognizable for his work on Brooklyn Nine-Nine, which was picked up for Season 6 by NBC in 2018, but he can also be seen in Everybody Hates Chris, Friday After Next, White Chicks, Idiocracy and The Expendables film franchise.
Actress, author and producer Gabrielle Union might not be a massive household name, but she's been in the game for almost 30 years and certainly knows how to recognize talent when she sees it. Union is probably best known for her breakout role in Bad Boys II with Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, but, more recently, she headed up her own drama on BET, Being Mary Jane, which ran from 2013 through 2017 and will wrap up with a finale movie this April.
Union has amassed 80 TV and film credits, and also lent her talents to projects like Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Sister, Sister, 7th Heaven, 10 Things I Hate About You, Bring It On, Love & Basketball, Ugly Betty, Think Like A Man and Breaking In. She will reprise her Bad Boys role in a series centered on her character in L.A.'s Finest, which will debut later this year. In late 2017, Union published her first book, the memoir We're Going to Need More Wine.
Most of the judges and hosts who've graced America's Got Talent have shown off their skills in a variety of entertainment areas, and Julianne Hough is no different. While many will know her for her time dancing and judging on the hit competition Dancing with the Stars, she began to branch out with her first major film role in Burlesque in 2010. The professional dancer, choreographer and actor is also an accomplished singer who released two solo albums in 2008. Hough has also shown off that talent along with some of her acting work (with her starring roles in Grease Live! and Rock of Ages), and has also appeared in Footloose, Safe Haven, Dirty Grandpa and Speechless.
If you're a long time fan of America's Got Talent, you'll know that the show has gone through a few hosts and several judges since it began in 2006. Hosting a show like this requires someone who can have a gentle touch but still be off-the-cuff funny, display never-ending energy and keep things moving along for the live audience as well as the audience at home. While Nick Cannon, who hosted the series from 2009 through 2016, fulfilled those duties wonderfully (and frequently in fabulously sparkly shoes), he left the post after coming under scrutiny with the network over things he said about NBC in his comedy special Stand Up, Don't Shoot. That brief controversy, and the host switch to Tyra Banks, didn't do anything to dull the appeal of the show, though.
One of the reasons that America's Got Talent has lasted as long as it has, and remained the number one alternative show each summer for 13 seasons, is the breadth of amazing and often wacky talent that is displayed among the competitors, no matter who is hosting or judging. While every season has brought us more traditional acts like singers, musicians, dancers and comedians, we've also been treated to danger acts, acrobats, animal spectaculars, magicians, mentalists, aerial acts and even folks who throw things up for a living or spit into each others mouths for fun. Fans know that you can always count on an episode of America's Got Talent to surprise you, and whether those surprises are good or bad is part of the fun.
America's Got Talent will continue to inspire shock, awe and aspiring performers of all kinds when it returns with new host Terry Crews and new judges Gabrielle Union and Julianne Hough (who'll be joining Howie Mandel and Simon Cowell) for Season 14 this summer. Until then, you can check out America's Got Talent: The Champions, Mondays on NBC at 8 p.m. EST.
