Colin Jost and Michael Che, “Weekend Update” anchors and Emmy nominated co-head writers of NBC’s Emmy Award-winning late night franchise Saturday Night Live, have been named co-hosts of the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards. The telecast will be executive produced by SNL creator and executive producer Lorne Michaels.
The Emmys will air live coast to coast from the Microsoft Theater at L.A. Live in downtown Los Angeles on Monday, Sept. 17 from 8-11 p.m. ET (5-8 p.m. PT) on NBC.
And because Sunday Night Football takes precedence, the Emmys will air on a Monday night. When NBC hosted the telecast in 2010 and 2014 (Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers hosted, respectively), there were so many conflicts both ceremonies aired in August.
“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,” said Robert Greenblatt, Chairman, NBC Entertainment.
Said Paul Telegdy, President, Alternative and Reality Group, NBC Entertainment: “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.”
“We are elated that Colin Jost and Michael Che will bring their hilarious collective talents to hosting this year’s Emmy Awards,” said Hayma Washington, Television Academy chairman and CEO. “They have an amazing onscreen rapport and we are delighted to begin working with them along with the entire NBC team.”
“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.
Jost and Che are Emmy-nominated co-head writers on SNL who began their tenure on “Weekend Update” in 2014. A four-time WGA Award winner and recipient of a Peabody Award, Jost started at SNL as a writer in 2005. Che, who was previously named on Variety’s 10 Comics to Watch list and Rolling Stone’s 50 Funniest People, joined SNL in 2013. Each was named as a co-head writer on SNL in 2017.
Nominations for the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards will be announced Thursday, July 12 from the Television Academy’s Wolf Theatre at the Saban Media Center.
