How to Watch the 2026 Critics Choice Awards & Live from E! Red Carpet
It’s almost time for the 2026 Critics Choice Awards! USA Insider is breaking down everything you need to know about the big event, the red carpet and all the post-show coverage.
The 2026 Critics Choice Awards is days away, and Chelsea Handler is gearing up for her fourth consecutive year hosting the big event.
The night will celebrate the best of the past year in film and television, with multiple nominations for the critically acclaimed hits Sinners, One Battle After Another, Frankenstein, Hamnet, Adolescence, Hacks and The Pitt.
USA Insider is breaking down everything you need to know about how to tune in to the ceremony––plus how you can catch all of the best pre-show and post-show coverage.
When are the 2026 Critics Choice Awards?
The 31st annual Critics Choice Awards are taking place on Sunday, Jan. 4 at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, Calif. The show will air live on both coasts from 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT to 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.
How can I watch the 2026 Critics Choice Awards?
The 2026 Critics Choice Awards will air live on E! and USA Network. You can also stream the show live on USANetwork.com, as well as the apps for USA, E!, SYFY and Oxygen. The show will be available the next day on Peacock.
Who is the host of the 2026 Critics Choice Awards?
Chelsea Handler is set to return as the host of the 2026 Critics Choice Awards. This year marks the comedian’s fourth year hosting the show since she first took on the role in 2023.
Who are the 2026 Critics Choice Awards nominees?
Ryan Coogler’s Sinners is leading the pack with 17 Critics Choice Awards nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director (Ryan Coogler), Best Actor (Michael B. Jordan), Best Supporting Actress (Wunmi Mosaku) and Best Young Actor/Actress (Miles Caton).
Not far behind is One Battle After Another with 14 nominations in many of the same categories, with Best Picture, Best Director (Paul Thomas Anderson), Best Actor (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Best Supporting Actress (Teyana Taylor) among them.
Adolescence leads the night’s television categories with six nominations, including for Best Limited Series. Meanwhile, another Netflix hit, Nobody Wants This, scored five nods.
A full list of nominees can be found here.
When does E!’s 2026 Critics Choice Awards red carpet start?
Before the 2026 Critics Choice Awards begins, the LIVE from E!: Critics Choice Awards red carpet special––hosted by Justin Sylvester and Keltie Knight, along with Will Marfuggi and Erin Lim––will air live from 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT to 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on E! And USA Network. You can also watch live on USANetwork.com, Peacock, and the USA, E!, SYFY and Oxygen apps.
Erin will host E!'s CreatorCam from 6:15 p.m. ET/3:15 PT to 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT, giving viewers unfiltered, behind-the-scenes access to the red carpet. Coverage will be streamed on E! News' Instagram, TikTok and YouTube Shorts accounts, USA Network’s Instagram, TikTok and YouTube Shorts and E! Entertainment's YouTube Shorts.
You can also check out CreatorCam footage on the Critics' Choice Awards official Instagram and YouTube Shorts pages (@criticschoice) and TikTok account (@officialcriticschoice).
Viewers can also tune in for a live, behind-the-scenes look at all the Glambot action on E! Entertainment's Instagram.
Throughout LIVE From E!: Critics Choice Awards, fans can catch exclusive moments featuring Erin with sponsor Avocados from Mexico, as well as Keltie and celebrity stylist Tara Swennen with sponsor Marshalls.
When does E!’s post-Critics Choice Awards coverage air?
After the award show, E!'s Live RE!CAP: Critics Choice will air from live 10 p.m. ET/ 7 p.m. PT to 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT on E! and eonline.com, as well as E! News’ YouTube, X and LinkedIn accounts, E! Entertainment’s Facebook, X and YouTube accounts, and USA Network’s X and YouTube accounts.
Will Marfuggi, Robyn Delmonte and Monét X Change will host Live RE!CAP: Critics Choice. Marshalls will also keep the celebration going with a live RE!CAP segment on red-carpet inspired fashion.
