US comedian and actor Jerrod Carmichael will host the Golden Globes in January, organisers said on Thursday. The awards for film and television return to screens next month after network NBC had cancelled its January 2022 airing of the ceremony, and major Hollywood studios and actors boycotted the event, following a backlash over ethical lapses among the organisers, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA).
In September, the Comcast-owned network said it would resume its live broadcast of the Globes, citing organisers’ steps to address ethics and a lack of diversity among voters.
“His comedic talents have entertained and thrilled audiences while providing thought-provoking moments that are so important in the times we live,” HFPA president Helen Hoehne said in a statement about Jerrod Carmichael, reports Reuters. "Jerrod is the special kind of talent this show calls for to kick off the awards season," he added.
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Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Ricky Gervais, Seth Meyers, and Jimmy Fallon were some of the previous hosts of the award ceremony.
The award ceremony will take place on January 10 and this will be the 80th edition of the Globes. NBC has said it has committed to airing the show for one year as part of an agreement with the HFPA. The nominations of the event will take place on Monday.
Following an investigation by the Los Angeles Times published in 2021, the HFPA was criticised for the lack of racial diversity among its members and critics also raised questions over whether close relationships with movie studios may have swayed choices for nominees and winners.
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The HFPA responded with a broad range of measures, including new ethics guidelines. It admitted 103 new voters from 62 countries outside of the United States, bringing the total voters to 200.
According to NBC, the total Golden Globe Awards voting body is now 52% female and 51.5% racially and ethnically diverse, with members who are 19.5% Latino, 12% Asian, 10% Black and 10% Middle Eastern.
