Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen are back for their seventh year as co-hosts of CNN’s “New Year’s Eve Live with Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen,” which airs Sunday, December 31, at 8:00 pm ET. They are joined by Sara Sidner and Cari Champion who are taking over the celebration at 12:30 am ET in Austin, Texas, as well as CNN correspondents reporting from celebrations across the country. Richard Quest will report from the crowds of Times Square, Stephanie Elam from Atlantis, Paradise Island in the Bahamas, Randi Kaye from Key West, Florida, Gary Tuchman and his daughter Lindsay from Las Cruces, New Mexico, and Boris Sanchez from Miami, Florida.
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We caught up with Anderson, Andy and executive producer of the show Eric Hall to get the inside scoop as they prep for the big night!
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What’s your favorite part about CNN’s New Year’s Eve programming?
Anderson Cooper: The best thing about hosting New Year’s Eve in Times Square is being able to have Andy by my side as the ringmaster of mishegoss!Â
Andy Cohen: My favorite part of hosting CNN’s New Year’s Eve is being with Anderson all night! It’s a happy tradition that I look forward to all year long!
Eric Hall: Anderson and Andy are a joy to work with on this show. It’s always refreshing to turn on the entertainment portion of our brains for New Year’s Eve. Their chemistry on screen is exactly the same off it, the brainstorming and prep meetings are a blast.
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What can audiences expect from this year’s program?
Anderson: I’m really hoping Andy doesn’t insult anyone this year or ask really inappropriate questions, but I’m not holding my breath.
Andy: This year expect: Fun, frivolity, and surprises.
Eric: Every year during the show, our cheeks in the control room hurt by the end of the night because we’re laughing alongside them at every turn. So we’re hoping this year will be even more fun!
