With the finish line on the horizon after a crazy April of back-to-back Broadway openings, everyone's buzzing about the Tony Awards. In addition to predicting the nominees, many are wondering who will host the ceremony at Radio City Music Hall on June 7. Now there’s one less name on the shortlist.
Four-time Tony host Neil Patrick Harris confirmed to Broadway.com that he will not host the 69th Annual Tony Awards. "I’ve just spent a whole lot of time in another hosting capacity," he said referring to emceeing the Academy Awards, an experience he’d prefer not to revisit. "I think I’ll take a little respite," the Hedwig Tony winner told us.
So who will be this year's Tony host? Names such as former host Hugh Jackman, future Late Show host Stephen Colbert, future Act of God star Jim Parsons have all been bandied about, as well as the Late Late Show's James Corden, the Tony winner we've had on our radar as a candidate for a while.
As for Harris, he told us he's thrilled to step back and watch his husband, It Shoulda Been You star David Burtka, in the limelight. "I’m so proud of David. It’s great to see him do a Broadway show again; it's been 10 years since the last time he was here," Harris said. "There’s been a lot of attention focused my way, and I’m so happy that the spotlight is shining back on him." Of course, Harris is never fully out of the public eye. He's hosting a variety show in the fall. "I think I’ll just put my eggs in that basket," Harris said about the NBC series.