Joel McHale Tapped To Host The 2015 ESPYS

Comedian Joel McHale will serve as the host of ESPN’s 2015 ESPYS sports awards show, the network announced Friday.

McHale, who starred in Community and hosts E!’s The Soup, will host the event, which recognizes major sports achievements of the year. McHale previously hosted last year’s White house Correspondents Dinner.

“Joel is an extremely talented performer, a unique voice and a huge sports fan,” said Connor Schell, senior vice president, ESPN Films and Original Content in a statement. “His experience as a comedian and love of sports make Joel the perfect host for The ESPYS inaugural broadcast on ABC.”

ESPN is moving the ESPYS to ABC for the first time after airing on the sports network since its inception in 1993.

R. Thomas Umstead

R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.