2021 Emmys: Cedric the Entertainer to Host, Ceremony to Have Limited In-Person Audience

A familiar face is hosting the 73rd Emmy Awards on Sunday, September 19, at 8/7c.

CBS and the Television Academy announced that Cedric the Entertainer (The Neighborhood) will emcee the show, which will be live with a limited in-person audience (of nominees and their guests) at the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles. (In addition to airing on CBS, the ceremony will be available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+.) This news comes the day before the nominations are set to be announced in a virtual event (streaming live on July 13 at 11:30a/10:30c on Emmys.com).

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“Since I was a little boy huddled up next to my grandmother, television has always been my reliable friend, so it is an enormous honor for me to host this year’s Emmy Awards,” Cedric the Entertainer said in a statement. “Throughout the roller-coaster of a year that we have all lived through, television has helped us stay connected as a society like never before. It not only entertained us, but as it always has, it helped to open our eyes, educate us, and hopefully brought about a better understanding of who we are as a people. I can’t wait to take the stage to celebrate all of the great shows and performances that made us laugh, cry, dance and sing over the past year.”

Watch a fun video with Cedric the Entertainer below.

“Over the past year, television has united us as a community more than ever, bringing vital information and inspiring entertainment to viewers at a critical time in our lives,” Jack Sussman, Executive Vice President, Specials, Music, Live Events and Alternative Programming for CBS, added. “Now, who better to bring television audiences together to celebrate the industry’s top achievements than our very own King of Comedy, Cedric the Entertainer.”

Emmy-nominated producers Reginald Hudlin and Ian Stewart will executive produce and Hamish Hamilton will direct the telecast for production companies Done+Dusted and Hudlin Entertainment.

Special Delivery ✉️🤩

Congratulations to this years #Emmys host…@CedEntertainer!🏆

Join us on September 19th as the @TelevisionAcad proudly presents the 73rd Annual Emmy® Awards on CBS. pic.twitter.com/sTq8YmmrQN

— CBS (@CBS) July 12, 2021

“I’m very excited to be returning to the Emmys,” Hudlin added. “Last year, the restrictions of Covid freed me and the awesome talents at Done+ Dusted to do a show that was different than any other award show. We don’t plan on repeating ourselves, but we certainly want to try some new ideas that could only be done on the Emmys.”

Jimmy Kimmel hosted the 72nd Emmy Awards in 2020, from the Staples Center, with only a few presenters and winners appearing in person.

73rd Emmy Awards, Sunday, September 19, 8/7c, CBS