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Former Eagle Jon Dorenbos, Philly’s first ‘America’s Got Talent’ winner to appear on spinoff ‘Champions’

A Philly-area contestant will appear on NBC's new 'AGT' spinoff in January.

Bianca Ryan, an 11-year-old singer from the Mayfair section of Philadelphia, won NBC's "America's Got Talent" in 2006, its first season.
Bianca Ryan, an 11-year-old singer from the Mayfair section of Philadelphia, won NBC's "America's Got Talent" in 2006, its first season.Read more

Former Eagle Jon Dorenbos and an America’s Got Talent winner who was raised in Philadelphia will appear on a new spinoff edition of the NBC program starting in January.

Bianca Ryan, who won the first season of America’s Got Talent in 2006 at 11 years old, will compete on America’s Got Talent: The Champions along with the Eagles long snapper. Set to premiere Jan. 7 at 8 p.m. on NBC, the show features AGT fan favorites returning to the show to compete for the “World Champion” title, according to a release.

Ryan, 24, won AGT in 2006 with a rendition of “I Am Changing” from Dreamgirls, and later returned to the show in 2007 in a brief cameo. Since her appearance on AGT, Ryan has released a self-titled full-length album, as well as two Christmas EPs. Her next release, The Reintroduction, also an EP, has been delayed due to vocal and abdominal surgeries Ryan has undergone starting in 2016

“[I] can’t wait for all of my walls to come down and for all of you to hear my story,” Ryan tweeted of her upcoming appearance on the show.

Dorenbos came in third place on the 11th season of America’s Got Talent in 2016 for his magic skills. Dorenbos started practicing magic to cope with the death of his mother after she was murdered by his father. He lost out to Grace VanderWaal.

Dorenbos, who was traded to the New Orleans Saints in 2017, officially retired from football after a routine evaluation his new team turned up an aortic aneurysm. He’s since continued his magic career and his a regular guest on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.