Taraji P. Henson will repeat as host of the 2022 BET Awards, which will air live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on June 26. Henson hosted last year’s BET Awards which was the top-rated cable award show among all adults 18-49 in 2021.
“I am honored to return as the host of the BET Awards and share the stage with so many powerful and prolific artists; you can even say it is the ‘empire’ of Black excellence,” the former Empire star said in a statement.
“Taraji P. Henson is the personification of Black excellence, and we are excited to collaborate with the phenomenal multi-talented stage and screen actress to host the ultimate celebration of Black culture again this year,” said Connie Orlando, evp specials, music programming & music strategy at BET.
Henson is the fourth host or hosting team in the show’s history to front the show two years running, following Steve Harvey and Cedric the Entertainer (2001-02), Mo’Nique (2003-04) and black-ish co-stars Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis Ross (2015-16).
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Henson is a six-time BET Awards winner for best actress for her performances in such films as Hustle & Flow and Hidden Figures and the TV series Empire. She was an Oscar nominee for best supporting actress in 2008’s The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and has received three Emmy nods for Fox’s Empire and the Lifetime program, Taken From Me: The Tiffany Rubin Story.
The BET Awards is one of the most-watched awards shows on cable television. The BET Awards franchise remains the No. 1 program in cable TV history among African-Americans, and it is the No. 1 telecast for BET every year.
The 2022 BET Awards will air on Sunday, June 26 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. The show will air live on the East Coast and on tape delay on the West Coast. Orlando will oversee the show, with Jamal Noisette, vp, specials, music programming & music strategy set to co-executive produce for BET. Jesse Collins Entertainment is the production company for the show with Collins, Dionne Harmon and Jeannae Rouzan-Clay serving as executive producers.
In a statement, Henson said she was looking forward to working again with Scott M. Mills, chief executive officer of BET; Orlando; and the people at Collins’ company. “Working with amazing partners like Scott and Connie at BET and Jesse Collins Entertainment is a creative’s dream. I can’t wait to celebrate Black music, entertainment, and culture with our viewers on what will be one unforgettable night.”
In Fall 2020, Henson announced her production company TPH Entertainment (her initials), with producing partner Christine Conley. TPH Entertainment recently struck an overall deal with BET Studios. Henson is represented by CAA, M88, The Lede Company, and Johnson, Shapiro, Slewitt & Kole.
First-round voting for the BET Awards extends from Friday, May 6 to Thursday May 13. The BET Awards have emanated from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles every year since 2003, except for the 2020 show, which was virtual due to the pandemic. BET.com/betawards is the official site for the 2022 BET Awards.