The show will go on! The 2020 BET Awards will air June 28 as planned, the network announced Wednesday — but it will come together virtually.
The show will be produced “using an array of innovative techniques and artist-generated content,” the press release said, promising an all-star lineup and allowing audiences to participate in the “celebration of black love, joy, pride, and power” they’ve come to expect from BET.
This year’s show marks the 20th anniversary of the BET Awards and 40th anniversary of the network. The official nominations for this year’s BET Awards will be announced at a later date.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the BET Experience, the three-day event leading up to the BET Awards set to take place from June 25 to 27, has been canceled.
All VIP packages sold to date will be refunded. More information is available at BET.com/Experience. The BET Experience will return in 2021.
“The BET Awards are a seminal event — the biggest celebration of black culture, black accomplishment, black excellence, and black potential,” said Scott Mills, president of BET. “Our community, and the many millions who love black culture, look to the BET Awards for signature moments of enrichment, entertainment and empowerment. Recognizing the unique role the BET Awards plays for so many, and the challenging times we find ourselves in, we know it was more important than ever to deliver the BET Awards in 2020.”
“At BET, we place the health and safety of attendees, staff, vendors, and partners first, which is why the biggest night in black entertainment will go on implementing this innovative production direction,” added Connie Orlando, executive vice president of specials, music programming and music strategy at BET.
“For the past 20 years, The BET Awards have paid homage to all things now and relevant. Despite the challenges of today, we will deliver a show filled with larger than life, inspiring, empowering and entertaining moments, which have shown the magic of our culture for over two decades.”
The 2020 BET Awards will air Sunday, June 28, at 8 p.m. ET.
