Comedian Shane Gillis Announced as Host for 2025 ESPYS Awards Show

Shane Gillis will serve as host for the 2025 ESPYS show on July 16.

ESPN announced on Tuesday that the comedy star would emcee the annual awards show that honors the best in sports from the past year.

"I'm excited to be at The ESPYS this year," Gillis said in the announcement. "I like sports so this should be a good time."

Gillis is best known for his stand-up comedy, which includes a Netflix special released in 2023. He is also the co-creator and star of the Netflix series Tires that just released its second season on June 5.

In addition to his comedic exploits, Gillis is a former college football player. He was initially recruited to play offensive tackle for Army after graduating high school in 2006, but later transferred to Elon University where he was a walk-on player.

Gillis was featured in a Super Bowl commercial in February with Peyton Manning and Post Malone. The 37-year-old previously appeared on ESPN television as a guest-picker in College Gameday in December for the Indiana-Notre Dame showdown in the College Football Playoff.

The 2025 ESPYS will be held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. The ceremony will air live on ABC at 8 p.m. ET on July 16. Gillis is the first true comedian to host the show since Tracy Morgan in 2019. Tennis legend Serena Williams hosted the event last year.