‘SNL’ Stars Colin Jost and Michael Che to Host Emmys

Live from Hollywood, it’s the 2018 Primetime Emmys.

The 70th annual award show celebrating the best of television will feel a lot like an episode of Saturday Night Live when Weekend Update anchors Michael Che and Colin Jost host the ceremony, joined by SNL boss Lorne Michaels as executive producer.

“NBC is thrilled to be the home of this year’s Emmy Awards and with Colin and Michael in the driver’s seat as hosts, along with surprise appearances by other cast members of Saturday Night Live, I think we are in for one of the funniest awards shows in a long time,” NBC chairman Robert Greenblatt told Variety.

President of NBC Entertainment Paul Telegdy, alternative and reality group, added, “We’re proud of our deep comedy roster at NBC, and Michael and Colin — along with the return of king of comedy producer Lorne Michaels — will make this the must-see comedy event of the year.”

This will be the first Emmys ceremony to be produces by Michaels since the 1988 show hosted by John Forsythe. This move cements Michaels’ influence on the network, as his producing duties stem far from only Saturday night. Over the last decade, his portfolio as a producer has grown to include NBC’s other two late-night comedy franchises, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Late Night With Seth Meyers, both hosted by Saturday Night Live alums.

He and Meyers also serve as exec producers on new NBC primetime comedy A.P. Bio.

Che and Jost have become two of the shining stars from the latest seasons of the long-running variety sketch series as anchors of Weekend Update. Jost joined the cast in 2014 and was joined by Che in 2015. The two were named co-head writers of the series in 2016.

“We’re proud to be the first duo hosting the Emmys since Jenna Elfman and David Hyde Pierce, and somehow that’s a real fact,” said Jost and Che.

Saturday Night Live had a huge night at last year’s Emmys, winning nine awards. The sketch-comedy franchise continues to hold strong ratings averaging a 2.82 in the demo and 9.41 million viewers.

“We are elated that Colin Jost and Michael Che will bring their hilarious collective talents to hosting this year’s Emmy Awards,” Hayma Washington, Television Academy chairman and CEO said in a statement. “They have an amazing onscreen rapport and we are delighted to begin working with them along with the entire NBC team.”

The Emmys will air live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles Monday Sept. 17 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC. Nominations will be announced July 12.