After the Oscars accidentally stumbled into a fairly successful formula by ditching a host earlier this year, the Emmys is following suit.
Fox on Wednesday confirmed there will be no host for the Emmys next month for the first time since 2003, reports The Hollywood Reporter. The network explained that the success of this year's Academy Awards shaped this decision, with Fox Entertainment CEO Charlie Collier noting, "The Oscars did very well. That was something we paid attention to."
The 2019 Oscars, of course, was supposed to have a host originally. Comedian Kevin Hart was hired for the position, only to step down within days when past homophobic tweets drew criticism. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ultimately did not replace Hart and went host-less in a move that many thought would create disaster but that actually resulted in unexpectedly positive reviews, as critics observed the ceremony flowed well without being bogged down by so many asides and bits. "Tough night for hosts everywhere, because they are now unemployed forever," The Ringer's Sean Fennessey tweeted at the time. The ratings for the 2019 Oscars ended up improving for the first time in 5 years.
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Collier on Wednesday also suggested going host-less will allow the broadcast to devote more time to honoring the actual nominees, saying, "if you have host and opening number that's 15 minutes you don't have to celebrate the shows." It remains unclear whether the Oscars will go host-less again in 2020, but that seems like a strong possibility, with ABC Entertainment President Karey Burke saying earlier this year, "We're not messing with that format, to the best of our abilities."
The 71st Primetime Emmy Awards will take place on Sept. 22.
