Anthony Anderson “always wanted” to host the Emmys.
The 53-year-old actor is set to host the awards ceremony on January 15 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, and Anthony revealed he will fulfill a long-held ambition by hosting the show.
He told 'Entertainment Tonight': “I'm excited. It's something I've always wanted to do, and, you know, it happened when it was supposed to happen.
“I wanted this to happen years ago, but everything happens when it's supposed to happen. So I'm really excited.”
The “Black-ish” star also revealed that the upcoming ceremony will feature a “special celebration” of notable TV shows.
He shared, “There's a special commemorative Emmy that's going to be handed out that night to commemorate our 75th anniversary. We're going to honor iconic shows that have somehow changed the landscape of television and entertainment. I'm so excited to be a part of it all.”
Anthony was actually flooded with “congratulatory texts” from his friends after being named host of the show.
He said: “I was going through (my) congratulatory texts from friends who were saying, 'It's about time. I know you've wanted this for a long time now.' So I'm just excited about it.”
The Emmys had already been postponed due to the writers' strike, and Anthony wasn't announced as the ceremony's host until December.
The actor said in a statement at the time: “With the recent challenges of our industry behind us, we can get back to what we love: dressing up and honoring ourselves. And there's no better moment of celebration to bring together the creative community as the milestone 75th anniversary Emmy Awards.
“When Fox asked me to host this historic show, I was over the moon that Taylor Swift wasn't available, and now I can't wait to be a part of the biggest night on television.”