‘America’s Got Talent’ crowns Season 18 winner in star-studded finale

After intense competition, the two-part finale saw an unexpected act declared the champion of 'America's Got Talent' Season 18.

The 2023 winner of America’s Got Talent has officially been crowned — but they’re not the act many fans expected to go home with the prize.

After intense competition, Wednesday night’s two-part finale saw Adrian Stoica and his dog Hurricane declared the champions of Season 18.

The Italian-born trainer and his dog were awarded a US$1 million (over C$1.3 million) grand prize and a headlining spot on the America’s Got Talent Presents Superstars Live! show at the Luxor Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

As is always the case on American’s Got Talent, Stoica and Hurricane won the competition by public vote.

Despite going up against fierce challengers like Lavender Darcangelo, a soulful singer who is blind and autistic, Stoica and Hurricane won people’s hearts with their elaborate (and expertly choreographed) routines.

For their finale performance, the human-dog team executed an over-three-minute routine that saw Hurricane, through a variety of impressive on-command tricks, help Stoica prepare for a date with America’s Got Talent judge Sofía Vergara. Stoica and Hurricane, who have performed all over the world, used Queen’s crowd-pleaser song Crazy Little Thing Called Love as the soundtrack for their routine.

The entire act was performed without the use of treats, an incentive often used by dog trainers.

“I think in terms of stepping up from the audition to the live show, this is the best act we’ve seen tonight,” judge Simon Cowell praised following the performance. “This was live, and that was a tricky routine. She was amazing.”