Janelle James to Host the 32nd Critics Choice Awards

TVS News AI, editorially supervised, presents Janelle James to Host the 32nd Critics Choice Awards.

Janelle James will host the 32nd Critics Choice Awards on January 3, 2027. For fans of “Abbott Elementary,” she is a familiar name: The actress and comedian plays school principal Ava Coleman and has received five Emmy nominations.

The event at the Barker Hangar will be broadcast live on E! and USA. According to Deadline, it will also kick off the 2027 television awards season. James is taking over a role most recently held by Chelsea Handler.

Why Janelle James Was Chosen to Host the Awards

The “Abbott Elementary” star is a five-time Emmy nominee, according to Deadline, and won a Critics Choice Award for her role as Ava Coleman. Variety already selected her as one of the ten “Comics to Watch” in 2020.

There is only a slight discrepancy in the exact date: In its preview, Variety lists January 3 without spelling out the year. E! News and Deadline, however, clearly date the event to January 3, 2027.

Chelsea Handler Hands Over the Hosting Role

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Chelsea Handler hosted the Critics Choice Awards over the past four years. Janelle James is therefore taking over from Chelsea Handler, while Deadline describes the broadcast as the kickoff to the television awards season.

Where You Can Watch the Critics Choice Awards

E! News confirmed the live broadcast on January 3 on E! and USA. The host will take on the evening's hosting duties at Barker Hangar in Santa Monica — a venue that, in previous years, was primarily associated with Chelsea Handler.

Status: ahead of the event; further details to follow.