Chelsea Handler Returns to Host the 2025 Critics Choice Awards, and She’s Bringing Four New Categories with Her

The 31st annual Critics Choice Awards will now give out awards awards for Best Stunt Design and Best Casting/Ensemble.

What will the 31st annual Critics Choice Awards look like? Based on a handful of announcements made on Monday, November 17: a little familiar, and a little more fresh.

Following the lead of the Academy Awards, the Critics Choice Association has added a Best Stunt Design category and a Best Casting/Ensemble category to this year’s show, as well as a Best Sound category. While the latter has long been an award handed out at the Oscars, this year will be the first year the Academy recognizes casting, and it will soon award stunt design at the 100th Oscars in 2028. On the TV side of the Critics Choice Awards, there will also be a new Best Variety Series category.

As for what remains the same at the Critics Choice Awards? Comedian, television host, and seven-time New York Times best-selling author Chelsea Handler will, for the fourth straight year, host the telecast that will be airing live from the the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica on both E! And USA Network on Sunday, January 4, 2026 from 7:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

“Chelsea Handler is the best awards show host in the world,” said CCA CEO Joey Berlin via statement. “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,” added Val Boreland, President of Entertainment at Versant. “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 Handler via statement.

In advance of the January 4 ceremony, the Critics Choice Association will announce both TV and Film category nominations for the annual event on Friday, December 5 at 9:00 a.m. PT on the E! and USA Network linear channels. The nominations ceremony will stream on the Critics Choice Association website, E! Online and E!’s and USA’s YouTube channels. Nominations information will also be available on CCA’s social media channels.