Jimmy Kimmel Confirmed To Host Primetime Emmy Awards

ABC confirmed this morning its late night host would return to host the Primetime Emmy Awards when the network broadcasts the ceremony, on Sunday, September 18. This marks Kimmel’s second time as host of the Emmys. Prior to 2016, he presided over the 64^th Primetime Emmy Awards in 2012.

Having the host-broadcast network’s late-night star host the show has become standard operating procedure, so it would have been surprising had ABC not picked Kimmel to host the gig and word they were negotiating this year’s deal got out on February 23. Kimmel got good reviews that first time he hosted in ’12, which was the last time ABC broadcast the ceremony.

Among late night stars who have hosted the ceremony broadcast: Last fall’s Emmy ceremony, on Fox, was hosted by Andy Samberg, because Fox had no late-night host and Samberg is an SNL alum and star of Fox’s primetime comedy Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Since then, Deadline reported last month, Fox has jumped back into late-night, announcing a sketch-comedy series from Samberg and his Lonely Island colleagues to launch in March on Saturday nights.

The 2014 Emmy broadcast, on NBC, was hosted by Late Night host Seth Meyers; Jimmy Fallon hosted for NBC in 2010; and Conan O’Brien in 2006 when he was on NBC. However, the 2013 Emmy Awards ceremony, on CBS, was hosted by How I Met Your Mother star Neil Patrick Harris, who was a frequent live-trophy-show host for the network, being very very good at it, though CBS had late-night hosts David Letterman and Craig Ferguson at the time. Harris also hosted the Emmys in 2009.

Now in its 14^th season Kimmel’s late night show, JKL has previously earned five Emmy nominations in the Outstanding Variety Series Talk category, Writing for a Variety Series, and Variety, Music or Comedy Series nominations.

Separately, the TV Academy announced Bob Bain will exec produce the Creative Arts Emmy Awards, which will take place over two nights, Saturday and Sunday, September 10 and 11, at the Microsoft Theater.

The Academy will announce nominations for the 68^th Primetime Emmy Awards during the morning of Thursday, July 14.