Elle King, Jimmie Allen, & Rachel Smith To Host ‘New Year’s Eve Live’

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Elle King, Jimmie Allen, and Rachel Smith. Photos: Courtesy of CBS.

Grammy-nominated artists Elle King and Jimmie Allen will host New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash alongside Entertainment Tonight’s Rachel Smith on Friday, Dec. 31. The special will air live from Music City at 7 p.m. – 10 p.m. CT to 9:30 p.m. – 12:30 p.m. CT on CBS. It will also stream live and on-demand on Paramount+*.

“This hometown gal is thrilled to be back for round two of Nashville’s Big Bash,” says Smith. “Hanging with my talented country friends in Music City on New Year’s Eve is the ultimate way to kick off the new year!”

The five-hour celebration will ring in 2023 with nearly 50 high-energy performances by some of country music’s biggest stars such as Brooks & Dunn, Kelsea Ballerini, Little Big Town, Zac Brown Band, and more. Additional performers and information will be announced at a later date.

“When I got the call to host New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash, I was super excited and started looking forward to it right then,” shares Allen. “I was part of the show last year as a performer, so being able to co-host it this year with Elle King and Rachel Smith and see all the great performances that are lined up – it’s going to be awesome. Hosting is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time and to do it on CBS is a big deal. I get to represent not only Nashville and country music but my home state of Delaware – primetime television on New Year’s Eve! Let’s bring this new year in right!”

“New Year’s Eve has always been one of my favorite nights to celebrate because we get to reflect on the year we’ve had while getting a fresh start,” says King. “Nashville has been so amazing and welcoming to me this year and I can’t wait to see what next year brings. I am so excited to be hosting the festivities live from Music City!”

New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash will cross multiple time zones, with the traditional countdown at midnight, eastern time, peaking with the famous Nashville music note drop and fireworks at midnight, central time. This year’s broadcast is executive produced by Robert Deaton and Mary Hilliard Harrington in partnership with the Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp, and directed by Sandra Restrepo.

*Paramount+ Premium subscribers will have access to the livestream via the live feed of their local CBS affiliate on the service as well as on-demand. Essential-tier subscribers will have access to on-demand the day after the special airs.

Liza Anderson
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