BET has named Anthony Anderson host of Soul Train Awards 2026, airing Friday, November 27 at 8 PM ET/PT on BET and CBS. The ceremony returns to Chicago, the city where Soul Train originated, for a night honoring the artists, music, and legacy of the iconic franchise.
Anderson brings a long track record with BET and major award shows more broadly, having hosted the BET Awards in 2015 and 2016, served as host of the NAACP Image Awards for eight consecutive years, and hosted the 75th Annual Emmy Awards. His television career includes seven consecutive Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series and four Emmy nominations for Outstanding Comedy Series as a producer, both for black-ish, along with three Golden Globe nominations, three Critics’ Choice nominations, eight Image Award wins, and six BET Award nominations.
Soul Train has held a specific place in Black entertainment since Don Cornelius created it in 1971, running for 35 years as the longest first-run, nationally syndicated program in television history before ending in 2006. BET acquired the brand in 2016 and has worked to revitalize it while preserving its legacy, including the Soul Train dance line, which remains a fixture at gatherings and celebrations well beyond the show’s original run. Returning the award show to Chicago for this year’s ceremony ties the franchise directly back to its origin point, reinforcing Soul Train’s identity as a piece of cultural history rather than just an annual awards broadcast.
Anderson said in a statement that Soul Train represents more than a television show, calling it a piece of cultural history built by Cornelius to give Black artists a platform, and said he’s looking forward to celebrating both legends and the artists currently shaping R&B and soul. Connie Orlando, EVP of Specials, Music Programming and Music Strategy for BET, pointed to Anderson’s comedic instincts and genuine connection to the culture as reasons he fit this new chapter of the show, while BET president Louis Carr said Anderson understands the legacy and importance of the moment as the franchise returns to its birthplace.
Performers, honorees, and additional details for the 2026 telecast will be announced in the coming weeks.