Kenan Thompson to Host the 2022 Emmy Awards

Saturday Night Live star Kenan Thompson will emcee the 74th Emmy Awards, set to air on both NBC and Peacock on Sept. 12.

By Allison Crist Aug 09, 2022 3:47 PMTags
Watch: Kenan Thompson to Host Emmys 2022!

The 2022 Emmy Awards officially have a host, and it's safe to say he knows a thing or two about live TV. 

On Aug. 9, NBC and the Television Academy announced that Kenan Thompson will serve as the 74th annual award show's emcee on Sept. 12. The Saturday Night Live star—more specifically, the longest-running cast member in SNL history—issued a statement alongside the announcement, making sure to give a shoutout to the network he's long been a part of.

"Being a part of this incredible evening where we honor the best of the television community is ridiculously exciting, and to do it on NBC—my longtime network family—makes it even more special," Thompson said. "Like all TV fans, I can't wait to see the stars from my favorite shows."   

Thompson himself has been nominated for an Emmy a whopping six times, including in 2021 when he scored not one, but two acting nods for his performances in SNL and the NBC comedy series, Kenan

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Praising the actor's comedic talents, Executive Vice President of Live Events for NBCUniversal Television and Streaming Jen Neal said, "Kenan is well-regarded as one of funniest, likeable and accomplished performers of the last two decades and his tenure on Saturday Night Live speaks for itself. We know he'll bring an excitement and professionalism to the Emmy Awards that a show of this stature deserves."

Alberto Rodriguez/E! Entertainment/NBCUniversal/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

In other exciting news, the Emmys will not only air live coast-to-coast on NBC from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles—the ceremony will also stream live for the first time on Peacock

See the complete list of 2022 Emmy nominations here

Tune in to the award show on Sept. 12, starting at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

(E!, NBC and Peacock are all part of the NBCUniversal family.)

For a full recap of the 75th Emmy Awards, check out E! Online's Emmys homepage here.