While reports have surfaced that the 2019 Emmys might go hostless this year, the Fox has officially announced the news.
Charlie Collier, Fox Entertainment chief, has confirmed the lack of an emcee for the awarding ceremony to be held on September 22. The Emmys is taking a cue from the Oscars which decided to go hostless after Kevin Hart pulled out of the ceremony after previous homophobic remarks resurfaced.
The reason behind the 2019’s hostless Emmys is a little less controversial. According to Collier, the TV Academy’s intent to honor several series that have bid farewell like “Game of Thrones” is the reason behind the decision.
“If you have a host and opening number, that’s 15 or 20 minutes you can’t use to salute the shows,” Collier says of what he dubs as a “trade-off.”
Golden Globe hosting regular Amy Poehler has weighed in on Fox’s decision to go without a host for this year’s Emmys. Speaking at the Television Critics Association press tour last Wednesday, she says “The Oscars went well without a host. The Emmys will too. It seems cool not to have a host.” It’s worth noting that ratings for ABC’s Oscar telecast surged compared to previous years after the network opted out of the tradition to have a host.
The comedienne and actress even poked some fun at the thought. “Think about going to a party and you don’t know who the host is,” she quipped. “‘Cool party — whose house is this?’”
The Primetime Emmys will be held on September 15 at 8:00 am GMT+8.