The actor will lead the evening’s celebration of music and culture from Chicago.
Anthony Anderson has been named the host of the 2026 BET Soul Train Awards as the event returns following a three-year hiatus. The Golden Globe-nominated actor has previously hosted the BET Awards in 2015 and 2016 and served as host of the NAACP Image Awards for eight consecutive years, as well as the 75th Annual 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,” explained the 56-year-old. “Soul Train is more than a television show or an awards franchise; it’s a piece of our cultural history. Don Cornelius created a platform that gave Black artists a place to shine, and generations later, that spirit is still alive. I’m looking forward to celebrating the legends, the artists shaping R&B and soul today, and bringing a whole lot of fun to the night.”
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