After the Baftas, Golden Globes, Grammys and Brit Awards, and with the Oscars and more still to come, we are in the middle of the glitziest season of the year – the awards season. What can a look at how events like the Baftas are hosted tell us, and what is the wider purpose of awards for any industry?
I sat down with Christopher Morrell, Account Manager at JLA, to reflect on this question, and chat about the real centerpiece of any successful ceremony: the awards host.
1) What needs to be considered when booking a host for these kinds of events?
Awards with audiences of this magnitude can be very difficult to play. It involves a lot of pressure, and places the host in a spotlight far brighter than any smaller-scale or internal event, their impact reaching far beyond the audience present in the room.
There’s the question of the host’s degree of relevance to the event theme – an actor for the Baftas, a musician for the Brits, and everything in between. This then needs to be balanced with the experience and aptitude of an artist to play the role of host – to maintain stage presence, interact with the crowd, and keep the energy consistent through the duration of the evening.
In a world where the Brits or the Golden Globes came to JLA for their host, we’d have pulled together a range of ideas spanning these considerations in diverse and dynamic ways. We work with so many brilliant people, many of whom have already hosted awards in previous years. Taking the Baftas as an example – Richard E. Grant, Edith Bowman, Dermot O’Leary, Joanna Lumley, Stephen Fry…there are so many strong names to choose from.
2) Tying into your last answer – do you have any favourite former awards hosts? Why do you think they stood out?
From that list, I would highlight Edith Bowman in particular. She has an incredible coolness about her, and creates a great energy onstage. Combined with the fact she’s someone I’ve known from childhood, growing up listening to the radio, she is immensely likable, and goes down very well with audiences.
Similarly, a recognisable face from TV is always a great choice. Dermot O’Leary is a fantastic example, hosting massive events like the X Factor – he’s someone that we work with regularly. There are also names that have a certain built-in level of impact…Joanna Lumley, Stephen Fry…
Then again, that’s a question in itself. A ‘big name’ gives a bit of gravitas to the event, and earns the host a sort of ‘aura’; their name reaches beyond their appearance onstage on the night. However, are there other hosts out there who may not necessarily have the same level of profile, but would do an excellent job? The answer is absolutely yes.
This is where JLA sits, at that junction between these two paths. Whilst we have access to the very top end of talent, we can also find terrific alternatives that don’t stretch budgets. Events like these are obviously high-profile, and they often opt for a big name to match that status. But do I think there are other people who could slot in there brilliantly? Of course.
3) What makes a successful event host?
The most important characteristic of an event host is their ability to ease their clients’ concerns. After all, awards are often the centerpiece of an evening event.
First and foremost – they should be someone who’s willing to be collaborative with the client. A good host will listen to and absorb the brief, whilst also understanding any pain points.
With this comes the recognition that an event has most likely happened several times before. It isn’t taking place in isolation, and there are all sorts of considerations that need to go into that.
Also important to note: whilst an awards host takes to the stage, clients will already be thinking about the next event. The industry operates in loops – as a result, a host that can play into that ecosystem, weave in key messaging and encourage attendees to continue showing up is equally as impactful.
Lastly, the basics are just as significant, and should not be overlooked. A successful event host is interested, easy to work with, arrives on time, and matches the client’s energy. They are adaptable whilst also offering up the best version of themselves.
4) Why do you think events like these matter?
In a world which can be dark and unpredictable at times, honouring our peers for their achievements in their respective fields allows us to centre optimism and hope.
Whilst film is obviously heralded as a powerful medium, just as valuable artistically as it is reflective of our contemporary moment, the celebration of accomplishments is always critical, no matter the field, whatever the industry being championed, and regardless of the specific awards being handed out.
Awards celebrations highlight an intrinsic good in us, as humans: the impulse to celebrate others. If you’re looking at it cynically, you could say this is all for commercial benefit. However, whilst there is of course an element of this, it is the drive to honour the efforts of our colleagues which sits at their core. We want to be pleased with their achievements; we want people to have their time in the sun, to get their flowers.
Awards are important, and I’m almost certain they will remain a regular feature of the speaking and hosting industry in the future.
5) Who would you like to see hosting one of these awards shows in the future?
Again, so many options to choose from!
Someone like Alan Carr could be great – building on that success with The Traitors, events like these might be something he could have fun with. In a similar vein, Claudia Winkleman is always superb.
I’d also like to shine a particular light on Sally Phillips. For me, she’s the ideal awards host, and really embodies what it means to do the job well – she’s warm, she’s collaborative, and she truly cares.
However, as an ending note, perhaps we should think beyond those who are familiar faces on the stage and screen. Perhaps the host doesn’t need to be from the world we’re celebrating; rather than pigeonholing them into respective ‘categories’, it might be worth breaking free from that presumption, and looking beyond.
If you would like more information on these or any other presenters, or would like to discuss an awards ceromony more generally, please contact your JLA Agent or call 020 7907 2800.