Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs to Host 2022 Billboard Awards (TV News Roundup)
Sean “Diddy” Combs will host the 2022 Billboard Music Awards, NBC and MRC announced Friday. The BBMAs will be held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on May 15 and will be broadcast at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on NBC, in addition to streaming live on Peacock.
“This will be unlike any awards show – I’m bringing the love and setting the frequency at an all-time high,” said Combs. “The Billboard Music Awards truly represent the artists and where music is today, so I’m excited to curate the biggest live performances and surprises. The world has to tune in to see.”
This year’s show marks 25 years since Combs, an accomplished producer, designer and philanthropist, won his first BBMA in 1997, for his album “No Way Out.” Combs is currently working on his seventh studio album, more than 15 years since his last solo album, “Press Play” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 Chart in 2006. He last appeared on the BBMA stage in 2017, paying tribute to the late Notorious B.I.G. on what would have been his 45th birthday.
A two-time BBMA winner, Combs is also serving as an executive producer on the show, alongside Robert Deaton. MRC Live & Alternative produces the show. This year’s show will honor hip-hop legend Mary J. Blige and will feature performances from Megan Thee Stallion, Burna Boy, Latto, Rauw Alejandro and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Additional performers and presenters will be announced in the coming weeks.
Also in today’s TV news:
CASTING
Ayoola Smart has joined the cast of “Wheel of Time” for the Prime series’ upcoming second season in a recurring role. Smart will portray Aviendha, who in the original book series is a Maiden of the Spear and one of three women fated to fall in love with Rand (Josha Stradowski). Smart joins the series after having recurred in “Killing Eve” Season 3. She is represented by the Curtis Brown Group.
INITATIVES
Cartoon Network’s Climate Champions campaign has returned for a second year. The second, expanded phase of the campaign, which focuses on encouraging young people to combat climate change, will kick off today with an address from 11-year old British musician Nandi Bushell on the importance of climate activism. The message will appear on Cartoon Network’s social media channels, and Bushell will be featured in posts for the campaign throughout the year. Also on Earth Day, Cartoon Network will hold a marathon of the environmentally focused series “Craig of the Creek.” Following Earth Day, Cartoon Network will launch a bi-weekly series of public service announcements starring characters from its most popular shows, leading to the launch of a special vertical on the official network website this summer. The vertical will feature quizzes, games and videos relating to activism and science, as well as daily challenges encouraging kids to create environmentally conscious changes in their homes and communities. In November, the campaign will be expanded in time with the UN Climate Change Conference. Cartoon Network will provide kids with toolkits such as letter templates to write activist letters urging climate action, templates for science projects and DIY tutorials to help artists use recycled materials.
GREENLIGHTS
AGC Studios will produce Emmy winner Chuck Hayward’s “Brothers With No Game,” with Hayward (“WandaVision”) attached as writer and showrunner, AGC Television president Lourdes Diaz announced Friday. Based on the British YouTube series of the same name, the series is about a group of 20-somethings whose social and romantic dilemmas force them into a “quarter-life crisis.” AGC Television is producing the series, with Stuart Ford, Diaz, and EVP of TV and film Glendon Palmer executive producing. U.K. series creators Leon Mayne and Paul Samuel are co-executive producing. Hayward is represented by APA and Mikhail Nayfield at Heroes and Villains Entertainment, with Diaz, Lynch and SVP of legal and business affairs Anant Tamirisa representing AGC Television.
LATE NIGHT
Jason Bateman, Pusha T and Justine Skye will guest on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” this Friday. “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” and “Late Night With Seth Meyers” will air reruns of previous episodes.