NBC’s summer juggernaut America’s Got Talent is getting two new judges and a new host for the 2019 edition. NBC said today that Gabrielle Union and Julianne Hough will join the judges table and Terry Crews will emcee the competition series’ upcoming 14th season. Union and Hough are replacing Heidi Klum and Mel B and will join executive producer Simon Cowell and Howie Mandel in judging the acts. Crews, who hosts the midseason spinoff America’s Got Talent: The Champions, takes over the AGT duties from Tyra Banks. Trae Patton/NBC “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 of Alternative and Reality Group at NBC Entertainment. “The next evolution of the format brings in fresh expert eyes to join Simon and Howie on the panel.” Being Mary Jane alum Union stars in and exec produces the Bad Boys spinoff series L.A.’s Finest, which MAy 13 premieres on Spectrum Originals network. Her film credtis include Breaking In, Bring It On, Bad Boys II and Think Like a Man. Hough is a two-time professional dance champion on Dancing with the Stars and has been a judge for that series. She appeared in last year’s Grease: Live and is set for the upcoming Netflix anthology series Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings. Crews co-stars on NBC’s Brooklyn Nine-Nine and has hosted Who Wantsd to Be a Millionaire from 2014-15. His other TV-regular credits include Everybody Hates Chris and Are We There Yet? and arcs on Arrested Development and The Newsroom. “Gabrielle and Julianne are two of the most aspirational women in the business, on top of being electric entertainers with talent across disciplines,” Ahr added. “As their partner in crime, host Terry Crews will continue to light up the stage with his quick wit and unending charm.”<doc-sep>NBC Six powerhouse singers square off against acts as diverse as comedy, danger, sand art and magic -- plus, wild card picks add ventriloquism and more magic! The first round is over and it's time for the finals to begin on "America's Got Talent: The Champions," which means it's time for the best of the best of the best. If you thought you knew who was going to be here after five weeks of competition, well you did. Mostly. As expected, the judges added in a couple of fan-favorite wild cards, including the brilliantly charismatic magician Jon Dorenbos and ventriloquist singer Darci Lynne. But we don't crown a winner tonight; that won't happen until next week's season finale. Will it be one of the six singers? Perhaps a danger act this time, or a comedian? There's another magician in the mix and a totally unique sand artist. With this much talent, it's anybody's game. And hey, if you've been enjoying Terry Crews' infectious energy and enthusiasm as host of "AGT: The Champions," you're clearly not alone. There are a lot of changes coming to Season 14 of "America's Got Talent" this summer, and Terry is one of them. Out is Tyra Banks and sticking around is Terry as host. That'll make him ever-so-slightly more experienced than the two new faces joining the judges' panel. Yup, after six seasons each, both Mel B and Heidi Klum are moving on, to be replaced by Gabrielle Union and Julianne Hough. Simon Cowell and Howie Mandel are expected to stay put. So it's going to be a whole new look for NBC's venerable talent show. In the meantime, we get to enjoy a farewell tour (of sorts) for Heidi and Mel. Fair warning, since I'm safe at home, I'm probably going to be a little harsher than my colleagues Howie Mandel, Mel B, Heidi Klum and Simon Cowell. But I might be nicer, too. Maybe. Kechi (singer) She has a truly beautiful voice but she is up against vocal powerhouses that leave your jaw on the ground and Kechi has never been that. She has a lovely voice and a beautifully tragic story and a huge heart and her strength and perseverance are inspirational. She absolutely earned and deserved her spot in these finals, but it's just not enough to win a show of this season's caliber. Preacher Lawson (comedian) One of the best comedians this show has ever spotlighted, but that set isn't going to win this season for him. The gym jokes were a little too obvious (leg day, amiright?) and he spent a little too long on them. The Incredible Hulk shirt rip might win him a few votes, but on talent alone, we've seen him be much funnier so many times. Still, we really hope his career goes to the next level after this as he's more than deserving. Deadly Games (danger act) From the beginning there was a little something off about his aim in the knife-throwing. He missed the first balloons shot completely, and a knife didn't even stick in the board during their second stunt. Plus, he was missing wider than usual. Did nerves get to him before they began? This is a very dangerous act to mess up.After that, though, he nailed everything and it was like it had never gone awry. The last stunt with the judges was both simple and terrifying and awesome. Still, the inconsistency probably cost them the title. Angelica Hale (singer) Still one of the most incredible young vocalists, but the song choice didn't seem to quite work for her this time around. Angelica seemed like she was chasing it the whole time, never quite capturing its essence or its melodic tones. She hit some impressive notes, but with no connection to the song it was lacking in substance or meaning. It seems as if her nerves might have crept in a bit, too. Cristina Ramos (singer) What an amazing vocal range she has and she put it on full display with vocal runs and an operatic opening to "Call Me." She fumbled the lyrics a few time -- but English is not her first language -- but there's no denying the power of her instrument and how masterfully she can use it. We're not sure this was the most exciting performance overall, but it was easily one the most jaw-dropping vocal performances. Alas, there are so many vocalists it's really hard to stand out. Darci Lynne (ventriloquist) Did we know Darci could sing Italian opera? That's what she had Petunia break out this time around, and it was an incredible range on display. We would have preferred a little more banter and jokes before the singing, but the echo effect was also very nicely managed. She continues to mature as a vocalist and a ventriloquist and the combination is just so crazy to watch. Kseniya Simonova (sand art) Once again, Kseniya knows how to pull on the heartstrings emotionally through her mesmerizing sand art, though this story wasn't as fully realized as her last one. If she'd have had a little more time perhaps. In fact, imagine how awesome it would be to watch her tell a story with unlimited time to tell it as she sees fit. She is a visionary in a very unique art form and someone that is always awesome to watch. Paul Potts (singer) It's amazing how easy he can make opera look, when obviously it's anything but. Paul is truly a remarkable talent and while his song showcased his vocal ability perfectly, did it have that wow factor to win over American audiences? That's the real challenge and Americans are kind of weird. Still, on a night filled with amazing vocalists, Paul did what he does to stand out and demand to be noticed among them, but there are also other talents here. Man, what a tough night. Susan Boyle (singer) Once again, Susan Boyle proves why she took the world by storm the first time she hit the "Britain's Got Talent" stage. She brought what's effectively become her signature song in "I Dreamed a Dream" from "Les Miserables." It wasn't quite as palpable this time because she's dealing with a different set of emotions coming in, but she is absolutely a powerhouse talent the show can be proud to be associated with. Shin Lim (magician) While there was nothing "AGT" stalwarts haven't seen in his acts just yet -- it was all variations on his signature stunts -- it is no less mesmerizing watching Shin do what he does and we're no less closer to understanding how he does any of it. Perhaps we're feeling a little jaded as he just won, but we're not seeing that as a performance of winning again ... until he asked Howie to open his cup back at the dais. There he goes, taking it to the next level. Could he win? Maybe. Just maybe. Brian Justin Crum (singer) A very slickly orchestrated performance, Brian started off very subdued and slowly built to a towering crescendo on "Never Enough" from "The Greatest Showman." He said Broadway is his dream and he definitely has the vocals for it. He feels so natural and at home on these songs, so if he can bring stage presence and performance in a musical sense with that, he could do very well there. He did extremely well here, bringing one of the top performances of the night. It's going to be a close vote, we think. Jon Dorenbos (magician) "It's a great day to be alive!" Some magicians go for mysterious or cool or sexy. Jon Dorenbos goes for joyous and he absolutely is. His tricks this week harkened back to his very first audition way back in Season 11 and he connected absolutely everything. It was beautiful to watch from start to finish. He incorporated everyone, never stopped smiling and left absolutely everyone feeling good by the time he was finished. PREDICTIONS You know what's not going to happen? Jon Dorenbos is not going to win this season, even though we've apparently decided that's exactly who should win.<doc-sep>CLICK HERE if you are having a problem viewing the photos on a mobile device TV picks for Monday, Feb. 11 WATCH THIS: Related Articles ‘Big Little Lies’: 5 things we learned about Season 2 “America’s Got Talent: The Champions” (8 p.m., NBC): The Top 12 finalists, including two returning Wild Card acts, perform for judges Simon Cowell, Mel B, Heidi Klum and Howie Mandel. America’s Superfans vote to determine who will be named the ultimate Champion. “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” star Terry Crews hosts. The Top 12 finalists are Susan Boyle (singer), Brian Justin Crum (singer), Jon Dorenbos (magician), Darci Lynne Farmer (ventriloquist), Deadly Games (danger act), Angelica Hale (singer), Kechi (singer), Preacher Lawson (comedian), Shin Lim (magician), Paul Potts (opera singer), Cristina Ramos (opera rock singer), Kseniya Simonova (sand artist). “The Bachelor” (8 p.m., ABC): Oneyka and Nicole’s shattering showdown continues as Colton tries to find an escape from the ordeal. After the rose ceremony, the remaining bachelorettes travel to the tropical paradise of Vietnam’s Cam Ranh coast. The first one-on-one date is captured by a woman who has magic chemistry with Colton. Their spa date reignites their passion, but deeper issues need resolving. A group date at the historic Hai Thai Ancient House proves to be an adrenaline rush for the women, as they are trained in the Vietnamese martial art of Vovinam and then fight for love in a series of intense sparring matches. The last one-on-one date leads to an awkward, but honest conversation, and one woman declares her growing feelings to Colton in a late-night tryst. However, Colton’s ever-present fear about picking someone who is not ready for a proposal continues to hang over him. “The Passage” (9 p.m., Fox): With the sudden arrival of a high-ranking official, Horace Guilder (guest star James Le Gros), to Project NOAH, Brad and Amy begin to strategize a possible escape plan with the help of an unlikely accomplice. Meanwhile, Sykes and Richards begin to question each other’s motives, and a shaky past between Lear, Elizabeth (guest star Jennifer Ferrin) and Fanning is revealed. “I Am The Night” (9 p.m., TNT): In “Dark Flower, a visit from Billis and the LAPD leaves Jay wondering how close he’s getting to the truth. Fauna must reconcile Corinna’s revelations with the suspicion that Corinna is hiding Fauna’s mother, Tamar. “Studio 54” (10 p.m., A&E): This new documentary series recalls the wild days of the disco-era Manhattan nightclub that was a haven of hedonism, tolerance, glitz and glamor. The film tells the story of how Studio 54 became a raging success, only to fall victim to a financial scandal. Also on Monday: “Arrow” (8 p.m., The CW) ”The Neighborhood” (8 p.m., CBS) “The Resident” (8 p.m., Fox) “Antiques Roadshow” (8 p.m., PBS) “WWE Monday Night Raw” (8 p.m., USA) “Kids Baking Championship” (8 p.m., Food Network) “Love & Hip Hop New York” (8 p.m., VH1) “Man With a Plan” (8:30 p.m., CBS) “Big Brother: Celebrity Edition” (9 p.m., CBS) “Vanderpump Rules” (9 p.m., Bravo) “Teen Mom 2” (9 p.m., MTV) “Killer Couples” (9 p.m., Oxygen) “Bull” (10 p.m., CBS) “Manifest” (10 p.m., NBC) “House Hunters” (10 p.m., HGTV)<doc-sep>
The latest episode of America’s Got Talent: The Champions airs tonight at 8 p.m. ET on NBC. Tonight’s episode will feature 12 performers who have competed in seasons prior as they attempt to prove who is the best of the best. Read on to learn about the host and judges of the competition. Terry Crews – Host Terry Crews is currently the host of America’s Got Talent: The Champions. According to Variety, Crews will also be replacing Tyra Banks as the host of the main America’s Got Talent series starting next season. “I am so proud and honored to join Simon, Mel, Heidi and Howie in hosting the #1 alternative series on television,” Crews said upon landing the gig. “NBC’s America’s Got Talent is a show I love to watch with my family and now to actually be a part of this special edition, The Champions, is more than I could have asked or dreamed. Now America’s Got Terry Crews!” Simon Cowell – Judge Simon Cowell has been involved with AGT since its inception in 2006. He spoke to TV Tango about the difficulty of sifting through the bad performers and finding the special ones. “It’s the hardest job in the world,” he revealed. “A lot of the time, some of the people, most of the people who are put in front of us who are horrible, there’s normally one producer sitting in the back row with his hands over his head going, ‘Well, he was good when he came to my room,’ or she was good. So they do make mistakes. But it’s tough.” “It’s been a lot of fun,” he added. “There was one day I actually said I think I’ve lost the will to live…some weirdo doing some kind art thing. But when you discover a star or you think that could become a star, you’ll never forget that moment — never forget that audition. This is a lot of fun, by the way.” Heidi Klum Heidi Klum has been an AGT judge since 2013. In an interview with TV Insider, Klum spoke on the pressure of dealing with viewer expectations in addition to finding the right contestants. “It’s harder on my nerves,” she said. “Because in the back of my head, I’m thinking that 12 million people are watching, and that’s really frightening. I have these blackout moments where I borderline can’t even remember my own name.” Howie Mandel Howie Mandel has been an AGT judge since 2010. In a recent interview with Westchester Magazine, Mandel spoke on the importance of the series and its status as the last of dying breed of television. “It’s the last bastion of variety television,” he said. “Television was a takeoff on vaudeville and, at one time, almost everyone did a variety hour,” he added. “The big one from when I was a kid was The Ed Sullivan Show. Now, the last bastion of anything like that, where people can see a variety of acts and where it is like a circus right in their living room every day, is AGT.” Mel B Mel B has been an AGT judge since 2013. “I like the live shows—the energy, the nervousness, the vibe of high-intensity drama it creates,” she told TV Insider. “Literally anything can happen. I’ve programmed myself not to say anything too out there, like the F-bomb, for example. Although it has happened.” Mel B also talked about her friendship with Klum. “One minute we’ll be talking about our kids, the next we’ll be talking about the act, then it’s our hair and makeup,” she added. “Heidi is always correcting lashes or something on me. At the end of the day, we’re girly girls.Working girly girls!”