BET Awards show must go on

It will, using an array of innovative technologies, artist-generated content

BET says it plans to go ahead with the BET Awards 2020, which will celebrate the brightest stars across music, TV, film, sport and philanthropy on June 29 at 2am.

Using an array of innovative techniques and artist-generated content, the show will continue, allowing the audience to join a celebration of black love, joy, pride, and power with an all-star line-up taking to TV’s biggest stage.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the awards and BET’s 40th anniversary.

The official BET Awards 2020 nominations to be announced on a later date.

“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 the black culture, look to the BET Awards for signature moments of enrichment, entertainment and empowerment.

“Recognising the 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,” said 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,” said Orlando.

Due to the current global health crisis, BET’s three-day event that leads up to the BET Awards, the BET Experience, will not take place as scheduled on June 25-27.

The BET Experience will return next year.