America’s Most Wanted debuted its latest season on Fox last night, which saw the return of long-time host John Walsh with his son, Callahan Walsh.
John and Callahan will present and analyze some of the nation’s most gripping crime cases each week. The pair will present the facts known about a case and request audiences call with tips and leads to help track down fugitives.
The new season returned on January 22 at 8:00 p.m. ET. The premiere featured five-year-old Luis and his six-month-old sister Kahmila Ramirez, who were abducted from Silverlake Park in Arizona in 2018.
John Walsh has long said he would return to television to continue his on-screen vigilantism, and Fox has finally agreed to revive the series with its original host.
“I’m thrilled to be back at AMW and continue with the show that helped bring justice to so many,” said John Walsh, according to Missing Kids. “This show truly is a continuation of my lifelong mission, and I hope that, with this reboot, we are able to reach a whole new generation of viewers and bring justice to families who are out there desperately waiting for answers.”
The show will work directly with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children to coordinate efforts, which absorbed the Adam Walsh Child Resource Center, a non-profit Walsh founded in honor of his late son.
“Partnering with NCMEC is so vital to the return of America’s Most Washed,” said Callahan Walsh, executive director at NCMEC’s Florida office. “By featuring these cases on the show, we’re putting these missing children in front of a national audience and asking viewers all over the world to help us look for them. It’s going to be such a powerful tool to help bring kids home.”
America’s Most Wanted helped recover dozens of missing children during its original run in the 80s. The series debuted in February 1988 and, over the course of 24 seasons, helped capture more than 1,190 criminals, including 17 of the FBI’s ten most wanted. Before social media, the show was one of the best ways to get national exposure for a search. The series was one of the longest-running shows on Fox, which was canceled in 2011 due to budgetary constraints.
In 2020, Fox brought back the series with Elizabeth Vargas as host, and last year, decided to start the new season with the original host.
“John Walsh is a singular voice in a life-long crusade to bring justice to victims and their families,” said Allison Wallach, president of unscripted programming at Fox Entertainment. “It’s an honor to have America’s Most Wanted and John, along with Callahan, return to his original home at Fox to continue this important work by empowering viewers to help capture some of the country’s most dangerous fugitives.”
America’s Most Wanted is available to stream on Fubo, Vudu, Prime Video, Apple TV, and DIRECTV STREAM. New episodes air Mondays on Fox and the next day on Hulu.