Anthony Anderson to Host Soul Train Awards on BET and CBS

Article

Anthony Anderson is returning to the Soul Train Awards. BET announced on October 1 that the Black-ish star will host the 2026 ceremony, which airs on Friday, November 27, at 8pm ET/PT on both BET and CBS. Billboard notes that this is the first Soul Train Awards since 2023 and the first ever to air on CBS. The two-hour show will be taped on Thursday, November 5, at the Harris Theater in Chicago. Back where Soul Train began "I'm thrilled to be back with BET and especially excited to host Soul Train Awards in Chicago, where the Soul Train legacy began," Anderson said. "Soul Train is more than a television show or an awards franchise; it's a piece of our cultural history. Don Cornelius created a platform that gave Black artists a place to shine, and generations later, that spirit is still alive," he added. "I'm looking forward to celebrating the legends, the artists shaping R&B and soul today, and bringing a whole lot of fun to the night." Anderson previously hosted the Soul Train Awards in 2013, according to Billboard. A long awards-show résumé Anderson has hosted some of television's biggest award shows. He co-hosted the BET Awards in 2015 and 2016 with his Black-ish co-star Tracee Ellis Ross, and he hosted the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards in 2024. He also has a long run as host of the NAACP Image Awards , which he hosted for eight consecutive years, according to BET's announcement. For Black-ish, he received seven consecutive Primetime Emmy nominations for outstanding lead actor in a comedy series (2015–21), four Emmy nominations for outstanding comedy series as an executive producer, three Golden Globe nominations and three Critics' Choice nominations. He has won eight Image Awards and received six BET Award nominations. What BET says "Anthony brings an incredible combination of comedic instinct, musical knowledge and genuine love for this culture," said Connie Orlando, BET's EVP of specials, music programming and music strategy. "His longstanding relationship with BET, coupled with his experience hosting some of television's biggest award shows, makes him a natural fit for this new chapter of Soul Train Awards." BET president Louis Carr said Anderson "understands the legacy, the music and the importance of creating a moment that brings people together. As we return Soul Train Awards to Chicago, the birthplace of the franchise, we're excited to have Anthony at the center of this celebration." Key facts Host: Anthony Anderson Airs: Friday, November 27, 2026, 8pm ET/PT (2am WAT, Saturday) Networks: BET and CBS (first time on CBS) Taping: Thursday, November 5, Harris Theater, Chicago Length: two hours Last edition: 2023 The Soul Train story BET's release recalls that Don Cornelius created Soul Train in 1971. The show mainly featured R&B, pop, soul and hip-hop artists, along with occasional funk, jazz, disco and gospel acts. When the last episode of its 35-year run aired in 2006, it was the longest-running first-run, nationally syndicated programme in US television history. Cornelius opened every show by welcoming viewers to "the hippest trip in America" and closed it by wishing them "love, peace, and soul." BET acquired the Soul Train brand in 2016. Jesse Collins Entertainment, which has produced past Soul Train Awards, is listed in the release. Nominations are already out, and Tems has two fan-voted nominations . The production team Jesse Collins Entertainment, founded in 2012, has produced the BET Awards, the BET Hip Hop Awards, the Emmy Awards and earlier Soul Train Awards, as well as the Super Bowl Halftime Show, according to BET's release. Jesse Collins, the company's founder and CEO, is also an executive producer of the annual Grammy Awards and produced the 2021 Oscars. What's next BET says performers, honourees and other special moments will be announced in the coming weeks, ahead of the Chicago taping on November 5. More on the franchise is on our Soul Train Music Awards page . Sources: Billboard | BET / Paramount Press Express