Stephen Colbert to host 2017 Emmy Awards

The late night talk show host promised to bring in impressive viewing figures

Eleanor Bley Griffiths

Published: Tuesday, 24 January 2017 at 10:49 am

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“This will be the largest audience to witness an Emmys, period. Both in person and around the globe,” promised Stephen Colbert as he announced he’d be hosting the 2017 Primetime Emmy Awards.

Despite channelling White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer’s false claims about crowd size at President Trump’s inauguration, Colbert will be hoping that’s more than an “alternative fact” when he takes the stage on Sunday 17th September to host his first-ever proper live awards show broadcast.

The comedian, who fronts The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on CBS, joins an elite club of talk-show-hosts-turned-awards-show-hosts including Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, James Corden and Ellen DeGeneres.

But he’s no stranger to the Emmys, having picked up nine statuettes for writing (The Daily Show and The Colbert Report) and for outstanding variety series (The Colbert Report). The Late Show has yet to receive a gong.

"We are thrilled that Stephen Colbert will be bringing his Emmy-winning comedic talent to hosting this year's Emmy Awards," said Television Academy Chairman and CEO Hayma Washington, calling him "a formidable showman".