Tina Fey and Amy Poehler Will Host Golden Globes Next Year Following Ricky Gervais’ Controversial Final Outing

Tina Fey and Amy Poehler will reportedly return as the hosts of the Golden Globes in 2021. The two comedians are one of the most lauded duos in the award show’s history, and on Saturday it was announced that they would return to the gig next year. Fey and Poehler have not hosted the Golden Globe Awards since 2015.

Fey and Poehler’s return to the Golden Globes was announced on Saturday morning at the Television Critics Assocation’s winter press tour, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The 2021 Golden Globes are about a full year away, obviously but it was still happy news for fans of their last few turns on the stage.

This announcement comes less than a week after the Golden Globes 2020, which was hosted by comedian Ricky Gervais. Gervais has a reputation for being controversial, and this year he went above and beyond with an opening monologue that did not sit well with many viewers or attendees.

“If you do win an award tonight, don’t use it as a platform to make a political speech. You’re in no position to lecture the public about anything. You know nothing about the real world,” he said, adding that stars should: “accept your little award, thank you agent and God and f— off.”

Despite this request, many stars did use their stage time to make topical statements, and Gervais was berated on social media for trying to silence people. However, the fact that he will be replaced with Fey and Poehler next year is probably not a reflection of this controversy, as Gervais had already said this would be his last time as the Golden Globes host.

Still, it is a notable swing in the other direction to invite the beloved duo back, especially after about five years away. Fey an Poehler hosted the Golden Globes in 2013, 2014 and 2015, arguably during the height of their working relationships with NBC. Both are alumni of Saturday Night Live, and went on to work on shows like 30 Rock and Parks and Recreation, both on and off-camera.

Since then, they have moved on to other ventures, working with Netflix and Disney+ among others. Still, it makes sense that NBC would want to put them back in the drivers’ seats this time next year. Having reliable hosts will set the Golden Globes apart in an age when the job of award show host is becoming a complicated, often controversial position.

This week, ABC announced that the Oscars will go without a host for the second year in a row. That show airs on Feb. 9, 2020 on ABC. So far, the exact date of the 2021 Golden Globes has not been announced.