Kristen Bell to become first-ever host of the 24th Annual SAG Awards

In what is a first for the entertainment industry, Kristen Bell has been announced as the first-ever host of this year's SAG Awards. The Screen Actors Guild Awards will present its 24th annual showcase on January 21st with Bell leading the program's events.

After receiving word of her confirmation to host the show, Bell had stated, “I am honored to be part of the SAG Awards, and am a little nervous about being its first-ever host. I’m so glad that I’ll be in the company of my fellow actors, many of whom I’ve worked with before, so I know they’ll be warm and supportive. It’s going to be an amazing night.” The decision to break the event's long-standing tradition of not being a hosted affair comes by way of Executive Producer Kathy Connell and the SAG Awards Committee who jointly stated that “This has been a year in which assumptions have been challenged, stereotypes have been shattered, and precedents have been broken. We decided to capture the cultural mood by casting aside one of our own traditions, and we’re thrilled to have such a talented performer like Bell help us do so.” Nominations for the awards show are set to be announced on December 13th.

Times they are a changin', my friends, and it looks as if the SAG Awards are prepared to take a step in different direction before this year's end. Personally, I love the idea of Bell hosting the event. I've been a big fan of hers since the early days of VERONICA MARS, and have found her to be a most talented, charismatic, and intelligent individual working in the Hollywood circuit, today. I have no doubt that she'll seize this opportunity and deliver a great performance as host.

The 24th Annual SAG Awards will be presented on January 21, 2018.