FOX Cancels New Year's Eve 2022 Special Due to COVID-19 Surge
Fox's previously announced "New Year's Eve Toast & Roast 2022" event hosted once again by Joel McHale and Ken Jeong has been cancelled by the network due to the recent surge in COVID-19 cases and the rise of the Omicron variant as the dominant strain in the United States. The special, which would be the second of the format after a Toast & Roast 2011 took place previously, was set to film in New York on New Year's Eve. Special guest were to include Kelly Osbourne and musical performances by Billy Idol, Imagine Dragons, P!nk, and Maroon 5. In a statement confirmed the new, Fox Entertainment wrote:
"While we are confident in the health and safety protocols for 'Fox's New Year's Eve Toast & Roast 2022,' the recent velocity of the spread of Omicron cases has made it impossible to produce a live special in Times Square that meets our standards. We will not be moving forward with 'Fox's New Year's Eve Toast & Roast 2022' in New York. The health and safety of our casts and crews has always been, and will continue to be, of the utmost importance. Replacement programming for New Year's Eve on Fox will be announced in the coming days."
This news marks the first of the network New Year's Eve specials that has been cancelled. Variety reports that NBC is still scheduled to broadcast an event out of Miami hosted by Miley Cyrus and Pete Davidson while ABC will return with Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve once again.
To perhaps paint a picture of how fast things are evolving with the recent surge in COVID-19 cases in the United States, Fox just released a new promotional TV spot for the live New Year's Eve Toast & Roast 2022 event earlier today, three hours prior to the publication of this story. The video touted the event as "coming soon" and called it "An event two pandemic years in the making." Fox has not confirmed any replacement programming for the event just yet but will reportedly do to in the coming days.
New Year's Eve Toast & Roast 2022 is the latest event to be cancelled by the rise in COVID cases in the United States. Over the weekend Saturday Night Live cancelled their live sketches, instead airing previously taped segments and fan-favorites from the past few years.