Disney has announced details on this year’s ESPYS awards, which bring together the top celebrities from sports and entertainment to commemorate the past year in sports by recognising major athletic achievements, reliving unforgettable moments, and saluting the leading performers and performances.

This year’s event will be hosted by comedian, actor, and writer Shane Gillis, who will bring his comedic energy to the stage as he joins a star-studded group to celebrate the most memorable moments in sports.  

Gillis is currently in the midst of his international stand-up tour spanning nearly 40 cities, breaking the all-time comedy show record in 18 arenas. In addition to being one of the industry’s leading touring comics, Gillis is also a passionate sports fan, which is often reflected in his sketches, and a former collegiate athlete. 

Gillis is the creator and star of Netflix’s show “Tires”, which returned in June 2025 for its second season and remains in Netflix’s Top 10, and also co-hosts the comedy podcast “Matt and Shane’s Secret Podcast” with fellow comedian Matt McCusker. The show is the number one Patreon podcast in the world and has consistently ranked in the Top 15 on Spotify’s US Comedy Charts.

Shane said in a statement regarding the news of him hosting:

“I’m excited to be at The ESPYS this year.  I like sports so this should be a good time.”

Craig Lazarus, ESPN Vice President and The ESPYS Executive Producer, added:

“Shane is not only one of the top comedians today, but also a huge sports fan, which made him an easy choice to host The ESPYS.  We are thrilled to work with him to create an entertaining show celebrating this year’s best moments in sports and are excited to see what he’ll do on stage.”

The ESPYS will recognise major sports achievements, remember unforgettable moments, and honour the leading performers and performances. The show is co-produced by ESPN and Full Day Productions. Connor Schell and Dave Chamberlin executive produce the show for Full Day

The ESPYS will air live from The Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Wednesday, 16th July 2025, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC and will stream live on ESPN+. The ESPYS will also be available to stream on-demand the next day on Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+.

Are you looking forward to watching this year’s ESPYS?  Let me know on social media!

Roger Palmer

Roger has been a Disney fan since he was a kid and this interest has grown over the years. He has visited Disney Parks around the globe and has a vast collection of Disney movies and collectibles. He is the owner of What's On Disney Plus & DisKingdom. Email: Roger@WhatsOnDisneyPlus.com Twitter: Twitter.com/RogPalmerUK Facebook: Facebook.com/rogpalmeruk

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