Key Takeaways
- Anthony Anderson will host the returning Soul Train Awards on Nov. 27 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on BET and CBS from Chicago, where Don Cornelius launched Soul Train in 1971.
- The black-ish star called Soul Train “a piece of our cultural history,” bringing experience from hosting the BET Awards, eight consecutive NAACP Image Awards ceremonies, and the 75th Emmys.
- The comeback follows an indefinite hiatus and introduces a shortened Soul Train Awards name, Spotify as the exclusive streaming partner, and an expanded CBS broadcast.
Anthony Anderson is punching the Soul Train Awards’ ticket back to television. The black-ish star has been tapped to host the ceremony’s 2026 comeback, which will air Nov. 27 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on BET and CBS from Chicago—the city where Don Cornelius first put Soul Train on the tracks.
According to an official Paramount press release, Anderson arrives with far more than a famous face and a microphone. He hosted the BET Awards in 2015 and 2016, handled the NAACP Image Awards for eight consecutive years, and led the 75th Emmy Awards.
“I’m thrilled to be back with BET and especially excited to host Soul Train Awards in Chicago, where the Soul Train legacy began,” Anderson said. “Soul Train is more than a television show or an awards franchise; it’s a piece of our cultural history.”
He added that the night will honor both the legends who built the music and the artists shaping its next chapter—with “a whole lot of fun” mixed in.
Anderson has longstanding ties to BET and the awards circuit, but he also brings serious comedy credentials. His run as Andre Johnson on black-ish earned him seven consecutive Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, along with four more as a producer. He has also collected eight NAACP Image Awards, three Golden Globe nominations, three Critics’ Choice nominations, and six BET Award nominations.
“Anthony brings an incredible combination of comedic instinct, musical knowledge and genuine love for this culture,” BET executive Connie Orlando said, calling him a “natural fit” for the franchise’s new chapter.
BET president Louis Carr similarly pointed to Anderson’s connection to both the network and the show’s history. “He understands the legacy, the music and the importance of creating a moment that brings people together,” Carr said.
The announcement adds another major piece to a comeback that seemed far from guaranteed a year ago. BET placed the Soul Train Music Awards and BET Hip Hop Awards on indefinite hiatus while executives considered where both shows belonged in a changing media landscape.
Former BET CEO Scott Mills, who announced the suspensions, left the company in December. BET has since brought the Soul Train Awards back, added Spotify as the franchise’s exclusive music streaming partner, and expanded the broadcast to CBS. Spotify and Toyota will present the ceremony.
Cornelius launched Soul Train in Chicago in 1971 and later turned it into a nationally syndicated showcase for Black music, fashion, and dance. The original program ran for 35 years, while the Soul Train Music Awards debuted in 1987 and continued through 2023.
