BET Awards to return live next month with vaccinated audience

The Black Entertainment Television (BET) awards ceremony, which became one of the first major awards to take place during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, is set to return in June as the first ceremony to invite vaccinated fans to be a part of the audience.

BET Awards are conducted by the Black Entertainment Television network to celebrate African Americans in music, acting, sports, and other fields of entertainment over the past year.

As per Variety, BET announced on Tuesday that the 2021 BET Awards will return with a live event on Sunday, June 27, from the Microsoft Theater at L.A. Live. The network will invite vaccinated individuals to register (starting May 27) for consideration to be a part of the audience.

BET in a statement said that it will "work closely with Los Angeles County to support community vaccination efforts and ensure adherence to COVID-19 protocols."

Scott Mills, BET president said he hoped the awards announcement would help lend to vaccination awareness. The network has already helped to raise more than USD 19 million to support people affected by COVID-19.

"Since the beginning of the pandemic, BET has been at the forefront of recovery efforts for our community, turning entertainment touchpoints into opportunities to empower our audiences and help combat the disproportionate impacts of COVID-19," Mills said according to Variety.

"Vaccination rates among Black Americans are significantly lower than other communities. We are committed to using our signature programming event - The BET Awards - to encourage vaccination in our community," she further added.

Variety has learnt that BET's last year's show, which took place June 28, 2020 with a mix of in-studio host Amanda Seales and pre-produced music performances, was the No. 1 cable awards show among adults 18-49 in the 2020 broadcast season.

The awards drew 3.7 million total viewers, simulcast live across ViacomCBS networks including BET, BET Her, and for the first time ever CBS. On BET it averaged 1.6 million viewers, with 1.9 million on CBS.

Connie Orlando, EVP specials, music programming and music strategy at BET will oversee the 2021 'BET Awards' and serve as executive producer along with Jesse Collins, CEO of Jesse Collins Entertainment.

Last year's socially distanced event, also featured performances by Alicia Keys, Chloe X Halle, DaBaby, D Smoke, Jennifer Hudson, John Legend, Jonathan McReynolds, Kane Brown, Lil Wayne, Megan Thee Stallion, Roddy Ricch, SiR, Summer Walker, Usher and Wayne Brady.

(ANI)

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