Chelsea Handler Set To Host Critics Choice Awards For Fourth Time; New Categories Added To Show Including Casting/Ensemble, Stunts, And Variety Series

The 31st annual Critics Choice Awards is adding four new categories to its roster this year, but the host will remain the same as it has been the past three consecutive years.

Comedian, television host, and seven-time New York Times best-selling author Chelsea Handler will return as host marking her fourth time in that role. Returning to E! for the second year in a row, the show is kicking off the televised awards ceremonies phase of the season and air across USA Network on Sunday, January 4, 2026 from 7:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT. The star-studded event will once again be held at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica and will continue its combined film and television awards format, honoring the best in cinematic, televised, and streaming achievement.

Notably, four new categories have been added to this year’s show, Best Variety Series among the tv categories, and Best Stunt Design, Best Casting/Ensemble, and Best Sound on the movie side.

Both TV and Film category nominations for the annual event will be announced at 9:00 a.m. PT on Friday, December 5 on E! and USA Network linear channels and will stream on CriticsChoice.com, E! Online and E!’s and USA’s YouTube channels.

“Chelsea Handler is the best awards show host in the world,” said CCA CEO Joey Berlin. “We are absolutely thrilled to have her back on our stage, mixing her trademark mix of humor and heart in front of hundreds of stars who enjoy her as much as we do. Recognizing and celebrating the most deserving achievements in film and television is important, but it’s also great fun and Chelsea is the perfect person to lead the parade.”

“We’re ecstatic to welcome Chelsea back to host Critics Choice Awards for another year – now airing on both E! and USA Network,” said Val Boreland, President of Entertainment, VERSANT (the spinoff of NBC properties). “Her sharp wit and captivating stage presence will surely make this show an unforgettable kickoff to awards season.”

“Kicking off the year with the Critics Choice Awards feels right — nothing says ‘new beginnings’ like a room full of critics ready to tell you how you did last year,” said Chelsea Handler.

After a seven-year run as the host of E!’s Chelsea Lately, a tenure in which she was the only female late-night talk show host on-air, she launched her documentary series Chelsea Does, followed by her talk show Chelsea on Netflix in 2016. She has penned seven New York Times best-selling books, six of which have reached #1, including her seventh and most recent book I’ll Have What She’s Having, published February 2025.

In 2021, she launched her iHeart Radio advice podcast, Dear Chelsea. Later that year, she embarked on the Vaccinated and Horny Tour, bringing her stand-up set to over 90 cities with 115 shows across North America and winning “The Comedy Act of 2021” at the People’s Choice Awards. Following the success of her 2020 HBO Max comedy special Evolution, Chelsea earned a GRAMMY nomination for Best Comedy Album. Her third Netflix comedy special, the critically acclaimed The Feeling, premiered in March 2025. In addition to her Cosmopolitan Vegas residency, next, Handler will embark on The High and Mighty Tour in 2026.

The Critics Choice Awards are bestowed annually to honor the finest in cinematic and television achievement. Historically, they are among the most accurate predictors of Academy Award nominations. The show will again be executive-produced by Bob Bain Productions and Berlin Entertainment.