LeVar Burton Selected To Replace Drew Barrymore As National Book Awards Host

LeVar Burton, the longtime host of PBS’ Reading Rainbow and current host of the LeVar Burton Reads podcast, has been selected to host next month’s National Book Awards ceremony in New York City, replacing the previously named – and subsequently dropped – Drew Barrymore.

“LeVar Burton has introduced multiple generations of young people to the joys of reading, and is a fearless advocate for book access, especially amidst the alarming rise in book banning across the country,” said David Steinberger, Chair of the Board of Directors of the National Book Foundation, in a statement. “We are delighted to welcome LeVar back onto the National Book Awards stage, alongside special guest Oprah Winfrey, to champion the power of literature as the host this year’s Ceremony & Benefit Dinner.”

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The statement made no mention of Barrymore, who last month was dropped as host by the Foundation after news broke that Barrymore would resume her daytime talk show despite the then-ongoing Writers Guild strike. “Our commitment is to ensure that the focus of the Awards remains on celebrating writers and books,” the Foundation said at the time, “and we are grateful to Ms. Barrymore and her team for their understanding in this situation.”

The 74th National Book Awards Ceremony & Benefit Dinner is set for November 15 at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City.

“I’m a big believer in the power of the written word,” Burton said in a statement, “and am proud to stand alongside the National Book Foundation to celebrate exceptional storytelling and the Foundation’s mission to make books accessible to everyone, everywhere. It’s an honor to return as host of the biggest night for books, especially in a moment when the freedom to read is at risk and literature both needs and deserves our recognition and support.”

In addition to his acting career – credits include Star Trek: The Next Generation and Roots – Burton is a longstanding literacy advocate, from hosting Reading Rainbow to serving as executive producer of the 2023 documentary The Right To Read. He hosted the 2019 National Book Awards ceremony, and most recently served as the Honorary Chair of Banned Books Week 2023, an annual week-long series of events that draws attention to the rising movement of book censorship in the United States.

The National Book Award Winners in the categories of Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Translated Literature, and Young People’s Literature will be announced live at the November 15 ceremony.

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