Jesse Collins Entertainment will take over as producer of this year’s Emmys on Fox (EXCLUSIVE)
Last year, Jesse Collins won an Emmy. This year, he is producing the Emmys. Fox and the Television Academy are set to announce Thursday that Jesse Collins Entertainment has been selected to serve as producer for this year’s historic 75th Primetime Emmy Awards.
No host has yet been named, and there are still many questions about how the writers’ strike will impact this year’s Emmys, or if the schedule might change. But for now, the main event is still scheduled to air Monday, Sept. 18 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on Fox.
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Jesse Collins Entertainment takes over from Done+Dusted and Hudlin Entertainment, which had jointly produced the Emmys in 2020, 2021 and 2022, the first two of which were COVID-impacted events. D+D had actually produced the Emmys for five straight years, having already produced the Emmys telecast for two years when it was partnered with Hudlin in 2020 to handle the unconventional, audienceless Emmys impacted by COVID. At the time, Hudlin made history as the first black executive producer at the Primetime Emmys.
For this year’s edition, Fox has chosen to shake things up with a new team. Collins will produce with Dionne Harmon and Jeannae Rouzan-Clay of Jesse Collins Entertainment.
“As proud, longtime partners of the Television Academy, we are thrilled to be the 75th Anniversary Home Network for the Emmy Awards,” said Allison Wallach, President of Unscripted Programming, Fox Entertainment. “This year’s ceremony, led by Jesse, Dionne and Jeannae, promises a special evening honoring the incredible work of our peers and celebrating the wonderful past, present and future of our medium.
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Now that a producer is in place, the next step will be for Collins, Harmon and Rouzan-Clay, along with Fox and the Television Academy, to zero in on a host. If Fox were to look internally, logical candidates might include Joel McHale, who hosts “Crime Scene Kitchen” and stars in “Animal Control” for the network. It might make sense to pair him with his “Community” co-star Ken Jeong, who is also a Fox staple thanks to “The Masked Singer” and “I Can See Your Voice.” The network, of course, also bet big on the likes of Gordon Ramsay if it was going to go in that direction; other options could be “Lego Masters” host Will Arnett, “Don’t Forget the Lyrics” host Niecy Nash-Betts or “The Masked Singer” host Nick Cannon. The last time Fox hosted the Emmys, in 2019 — as part of the wheel system in which all of the Big 4 broadcast networks take turns — the show had no host. (Kenan Thompson hosted last year’s show on NBC, while comedian and writer Sam Jay served as the Emmys announcer.)
“It’s a landmark year – the 75th anniversary of the Emmy Awards – and we’re thrilled to have Jesse Collins Entertainment at the helm to celebrate one of television’s best years with the industry’s biggest night,” said said Television Academy President Frank Scherma. “In this extraordinary era of television creativity, we look forward to recognizing the innovators, artists, artisans, artisans and storytellers responsible for the remarkable programming that keeps the world entertained and connected.”
Collins and Harmon were among the executive producers who won an Emmy last year for “The Pepsi Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show Starring Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, 50 Cent,” which was named an Outstanding Variety Special (Live).
Their credits also include the Oscars, Grammys, American Music Awards, and BET Awards.
Collins, the founder/CEO of Jesse Collins Entertainment, produced the 2021 Oscars and is also an executive producer of the Grammy Awards and Golden Globes. Harmon, also executive producer of all Jesse Collins Entertainment and Golden Globes programming, serves as president of the puck, while Rouzan-Clay is senior vice president of specials and serves as executive producer.
The company is also behind scripted projects like “Real Husbands of Hollywood,” “American Soul,” and miniseries like “The New Edition Story” and “The Bobby Brown Story.” Jesse Collins Entertainment also produced unscripted fare, including “Cardi Tries,” “My Killer Body with K. Michelle,” “Becoming A Popstar,” and “Rhythm + Flow.”
Other specials include the American Music Awards, BET Awards, Soul Train Awards, BET Hip Hop Awards, Black Girls Rock!, BET Honors, UNCF’s An Evening of Stars, and ABFF Honors. There’s also CNN’s “Juneteenth: A Global Celebration of Freedom”, “A Grammy Salute to the Sounds of Change”, “Stand Up for Heroes”, “Dear Mama”, “Amanda Seales: I Be Knowin'”, ” Def Comedy Jam 25″, “Leslie Jones: Time Machine”, “The All-Star Nickmas Spectacular” and “Rip the Runway”.
Last December, Collins was also selected as Variety’s Hitmakers Director of the Year.
“We are honored to have the opportunity to produce the 75th Emmy Awards and look forward to working with Frank, Allison and everyone at the Television Academy and Fox to continue the legacy of incredible and unforgettable Emmy shows that put spotlighting some of the most amazing people in our industry,” Jesse Collins, Dionne Harmon and Jeannae Rouzan-Clay said in a joint statement.
Nominations for the 75th Emmy Awards will be announced on Wednesday, July 12.
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