THE AWARDS SHOW CELEBRATES THE BEST TELEVISION SERIES AND PERFORMANCES FROM THE PAST YEAR, AND WILL BE HELD AT THE BEVERLY HILTON HOTEL, IN LOS ANGELES

LOS ANGELES – June 7, 2017 – EMMY® and TONY®-winning entertainer Kristin Chenoweth, who has appeared in such celebrated hits as YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN, PUSHING DAISIES, the televised production of HAIRSPRAY LIVE!, and most recently in Neil Gaiman’s STARZ series AMERICAN GODS, brings her WICKED wit to the Television Critics Association (TCA) Awards, serving as emcee for the 33rd Annual event which takes place on Saturday, August 5, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

Chenoweth will kick off the evening’s festivities, putting her bubbly humor on full display before handing the reins over to the critics, who will announce the night’s big winners. Awards will be presented in a wide variety of categories and genres, such as news and information, youth, drama, reality, and comedy, as North America’s top TV critics gather to honor outstanding television programs of the 2016-2017 season.

“Throughout her unprecedented career, Kristin Chenoweth has carved a lasting legacy as an entertainment powerhouse and trailblazer. She is the perfect choice to host this special evening, honoring a season that has truly been a landmark year for women in television,” said TCA President Amber Dowling. “The Television Critics Association is proud to have an actress of her caliber leading the night’s festivities, as we come together to celebrate 33 years of the TCA Awards.”

“I hope the TCA Awards are ready, because I’m about to bring a whole lot of flair and fun to the evening’s proceedings,” Chenoweth said. “As a performer, I know how important collaboration is when it comes to crafting something that will entertain people, and make them laugh, and cry, and think. I’m so honored to be hosting this great event that celebrates those talented folks who work so hard to make the great shows that we all love to watch.”

An accomplished singer, actress, and author, Chenoweth developed a passion for entertainment as a child in Oklahoma, where she frequently performed as a gospel singer in the area’s church community. In school, the multi-talented songstress initially studied opera, before deciding on a career in musical theater—leading to her celebrated Broadway debut in 1997’s STEEL PIER, which earned the blossoming star a Theater World Award. Since that time, Chenoweth has risen as one of the foremost figures in theater, amassing an impressive roster of roles that includes her TONY® Award-winning turn as Sally in YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN; her critically acclaimed leading role in ON THE TWENTIETH CENTURY; and, of course, her groundbreaking performance as Glinda the Good Witch in the flagship run of the smash-hit Broadway sensation WICKED. She has also enjoyed a successful career outside of the stage, earning an EMMY® for her role as Olive Snook in PUSHING DAISIES; and appearing in television series and specials such as THE WEST WING, THE MUPPETS, AMERICAN GODS, HAIRSPRAY LIVE!, and GLEE—the latter of which earned her two more EMMY® nominations; and films such as THE PEANUTS MOVIE, RIO 2, and THE BOY NEXT DOOR, among many others.

Additionally, Chenoweth has hosted some of the industry’s biggest awards shows; taken the stage in front of sold out crowds at iconic venues such as Carnegie Hall and Royal Albert Hall; performed to rave reviews in her acclaimed return to Broadway in her one-woman show MY LOVE LETTER TO BROADWAY; released a slew of hit albums, including the 2016 American Standards hit THE ART OF ELEGANCE, which remains in the Top 10 on the Current Traditional Jazz Chart after 35 weeks; and penned the bestselling biography A LITTLE BIT WICKED. Up next, Chenoweth can be seen in the season premiere of TV Land’s YOUNGER on June 28, and her voice talents can be heard in the forthcoming animated features MY LITTLE PONY: THE MOVIE and THE STAR.

Chenoweth joins an impressive all-star roster of previous TCA Awards hosts, which includes Jaime Camil, James Corden, Terry Crews, Bryan Cranston, Ellen DeGeneres, Conan O’Brien, Drew Carey, Craig Ferguson, Wanda Sykes, the Smothers Brothers, Nick Offerman, Dax Shepard, Key & Peele, and Bob Newhart, among others.

The TCA nominates and votes on awards as an organization, and the process is not open to solicitation or submissions. In all, 12 awards will be presented for programming that has made an impact this past TV season. The TCA also bestows a Heritage Award trophy to one long-standing program that has culturally or socially influenced society, and a Career Achievement Award to an individual who has inspired his/her work in television.

RECOMMENDED TWEET
Award-winning @KChenoweth has been named the Host of the 33rd Annual TCA Awards by @OfficialTCA. #TCA17

ABOUT THE TELEVISION CRITICS ASSOCIATION
The Television Critics Association (TCA) represents more than 200 professional journalists who cover television for publications across the United States and Canada. The members reach tens of millions of consumers each week, and are considered experts within the industry, representing their employers as moderators, panelists, radio/TV guests and more. The prestigious organization honors outstanding achievements in television and enduring contributions to the medium’s heritage through the TCA Awards each year. This year’s TCA Awards are the organization’s 33rd anniversary. For additional information about the TCA, visit www.tvcritics.org; Facebook; and Twitter. To follow the Summer TCA on twitter, follow tweets with the hashtag #TCA17.

Media Contact:
Cindy Ronzoni / Social Spread Media / 310-880-1961 / [email protected] / @cindyronzoni