When Fox canceled “America’s Most Wanted” in May, it was a bummer for longtime fans of the crime-fighting show. But the news hit especially hard here in Washington, where the show’s been based from the start. This week, however, Lifetime announced that it’s picking up the program, allowing it to have a 25th season later this year.
In addition, the show’s creator and host John Walsh told Yeas & Nays he plans to keep the reincarnated show right here, hoping to hire back some of the employees he was forced to lay off. “I am planning on keeping it in D.C.,” he told us in an interview Wednesday. “I think one of the toughest things that I had to in my 23 years was to lay those people off.”
Upon hearing that “America’s Most Wanted” was getting the boot, Walsh said he was in denial. When other opportunities knocked on his door, he still longed to continue to produce “America’s Most Wanted,” he said.
“I had lot of offers, to be very frank, I had lot of offer, I talked to Fox News and CNN and other channels,” he said. “I basically said what I want to do and what my passion is — to catch bad buys and to find missing children — I don’t want to be a talking head, I don’t want to change the format.”
So it was perfect when the Lifetime folks approached Walsh and said they simply wanted to put “America’s Most Wanted” back on the air in its usual format.
A start date for the new season has yet to be announced. While Fox canned Walsh and company, it also ordered four two-hours specials of “America’s Most Wanted” to be produced. The first one of those specials will be aired Oct. 29. After those are complete, Walsh will officially start doing work for Lifetime.
“I’m going to do this show with integrity and dignity and I’ll only do it in D.C.,” he said. “We’re going to saddle back up, I’m going to hire some people, try to make some TV, and catch these bastards.”
