John Walsh, the Emmy Award-winning host of the true crime classic “America's Most Wanted,” dissects some of America's most serious criminal cases for the first time since the original series was canceled in 2011. He returned to the program to do so.
Callahan Walsh, who co-hosts the reboot with his father, spoke to Fox News about what fans and new viewers alike can expect from the new season, produced by Fox Alternative Entertainment and scheduled to air January 22 at 8 p.m. told Digital. EST.
Director John Walsh said, “It's a great time for America's Most Wanted to return to Fox, where I can continue my life's work, especially working with my son Callahan.” He talked about returning to the show. “I am constantly in awe of how much our loyal viewers do to ensure justice is delivered to victims and their loved ones, and today they show us how we can fight back and We now have completely new tools at our disposal to help solve even more crimes, faster.”
“It was an honor to take over,” said the younger Walsh, who was a producer during the show's original run. [his] In his father's footsteps,'' he said, which was “obviously a huge burden.''
“America's Most Wanted” host John Walsh and his son Callahan Walsh are pictured here. The pair will co-host the reboot of the true crime series for the first time since the original show was canceled in 2011 after a historic 24 seasons on the air. (Fox News)
Callahan said using cutting-edge technology not available during the show's historic 24-season run will allow AMW to “leverage and engage.” [its] viewers and viewers [they] I couldn't do it before. ”
“The backbone of the show is our viewers. They are the tipsters who provide us with information that leads to arrests. They're anxious to be able to do it,” Callahan said. “Again, it comes back to the viewers, the fans, and that armchair detective. [or] Internet detectives – and we can tap into these people not just through our shows, but through social media and providing additional information… being able to use the public and our fan base as a power multiplier This is what the show is all about – putting wanted fugitives in the spotlight and forcing the public to do the right thing. ”
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“It was an honor to follow in his footsteps,” Callahan Walsh told FOX News Digital. [his] In his father's footsteps,'' he said, which was “obviously a huge burden.'' (Fox News)
Within four days of the show's premiere in 1988, FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitive David James Roberts — a convicted murderer recently released from prison — appeared on the show's first episode. He was arrested for what he did.
According to Variety magazine's tally, the show has helped arrest more than 1,190 criminals since its inception.
As always, tipsters can remain anonymous when contacting the show's producers. And Callahan said, “You can do more than just make phone calls.”
“That's another big change. Not everyone wants to answer the phone,” he says. “You can submit tips online through our social media channels. We just want information and we don't care who you are.”
Adam Walsh, son of John Walsh, brother of Callahan; kidnapped Their tragedy, along with the television series, inspired the Walsh family to found the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
See: America's Most Wanted Overtime
A rebroadcast of “America's Most Wanted,” produced by Fox Alternative Entertainment, will air on January 22nd at 8pm EST. (Fox News)
Callahan currently serves as national manager for the nonprofit's Florida chapter, which he said has helped rescue more than 450,000 missing children since its founding.
Callahan said the nature of some crimes has changed since the show first aired. He said there had been an “explosion” in online child exploitation that “didn't exist” when the show first started.
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“The act of preying on children online, grooming them, luring them from their homes, forcing them to produce nude images, or blackmailing them with demands for more images, known as sextortion. .Sex trafficking. So there's all kinds of exploitation of children happening online,” Callahan said.
Callahan also said the opioid epidemic, which has increased dramatically since 2010, has also changed the crime landscape in the United States.
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The younger Walsh attributed America's Most Wanted's enduring popularity to its unique ability to “give viewers a way to fight back” against rising crime.
“Usually what you're looking at is… cases that have been decided, meaning they've already gone through the court process,” he explained. “In America's Most Wanted, these are not adjudicated cases. These are wanted fugitives and there is an active investigation.”
“This show catches criminals. We don't just tell true crime stories. We find the bad guys and bring justice to their families,” he told FOX News Digital.
In fact, Callahan said the hardest part of the show is actually choosing the cases, “turning down families who are begging.” [them] to [cover] their [relative’s] Murder on the show. ”
