Jimmy Kimmel to host the Emmys, first awards show of pandemic

Jimmy Kimmel will host the first major Hollywood awards ceremony of the coronavirus pandemic — but just how the Emmy Awards will be held remains cloudy.

Kimmel, who is also producing the September 20 ceremony on ABC honouring TV’s best, acknowledged that in the announcement.

“I don’t know where we will do this or how we will do this or even why we are doing this, but we are doing it and I am hosting it,” the ABC late-night host said in a statement.

The network said details on the show’s production will be announced soon. Choosing Kimmel to emcee the ceremony reverses course from last year’s no-host Emmys.

The entertainment industry is just beginning to restart production following a months-long shutdown aimed at curtailing the spread of COVID-19. Orchestrating an awards ceremony during the ongoing pandemic with its crowd of presenters, nominees and guests is a daunting prospect, whether done virtually or otherwise.

Nominations for the 72nd prime-time Emmys will be announced by the TV academy on July 28.