The 2016 Emmy Awards won’t even air until next fall, but ABC is already getting plans together for the big TV-oriented awards ceremony. This week, the network announced that a host had been signed on for the big event, and that host will be none other than ABC’s late night talent, Jimmy Kimmel. Kimmel will not be a newbie when it comes to the Primetime Emmy Awards. If you can remember back a few years, he also hosted the ceremony back in 2012.
Honestly, Jimmy Kimmel should be a pretty good fit for the Primetime Emmy Awards, which generally likes to change its host up every year as it rotates networks. After Kimmel hosted the big event the last time it came to ABC, the following year Neil Patrick Harris hosted, followed by late late night host Seth Meyers and then Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s Andy Samberg, who brought his goofy humor to the ceremony last year. Usually the networks try to pick a celebrity that is good at hosting but also highly identifiable as someone related to the network, and Jimmy Kimmel fits the bill nicely. Plus, he was well-liked the first time he hosted. Deadline reports that negotiations were underway just a few weeks ago and it took very little time to sign the Jimmy Kimmel Live! host on.
The Emmys have changed quite a bit in the time since Jimmy Kimmel last hosted the series. Modern Family is no longer a heavy comedy favorite (although I can’t get enough of the cheesy Haley and Andy romance) and Downton Abbey just ended in the States this weekend, making this year’s awards ceremony the show’s last—should someone get nominated. And AMC veteran Mad Men is out of the game this year, as well. In more recent ceremonies, TV nods have spread to streaming service originals and more cable shows, as well.
Again, it’s pretty early in the season to know much about what to expect from the 2016 Emmy Awards. The actual ceremony won’t hit the schedule until Sunday, September 18. (The Creative Emmy Awards will be given out on September 10 and 11.) In that time, Netflix will premiere a slew of new content, including a new season of Daredevil, network TV will get through the next round of cancellations, and with any luck, HBO will finally premiere or be close to premiering Westworld. Basically, there's a lot that can change in terms of people's opinions about TV programs in the coming months.
If you’d like to know who will earn the nominations for the 2016 ceremony, you’ll sadly have a while to wait, as well. Nominations won’t drop until the morning of July 14. In the meantime, you can see what else is coming up with our network TV premiere schedule.
