FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
[WEST PALM BEACH, FL] August 28, 2026 — The Miss America Organization is thrilled to announce Jennifer Hale and Billy Gilman as the celebrity hosts of the Miss America’s Teen and Miss America Final Competitions. Hale and Gilman will take the stage on Saturday, September 5, for the crowning of the 21st Miss America’s Teen, followed by Sunday, September 6, for the crowning of the 99th Miss America in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Award-winning reporter and host Jennifer Hale is a veteran FOX NFL and college football sideline reporter, regular contributor to FOX & Friends Weekend and Fox Live Now, and former moderator of FS1’s Undisputed. In 2026, she founded ExHALE Studios, producing NFL content for ESPN and other television outlets. A multiple Emmy, Edward R. Murrow and Associated Press Award winner, Hale has also covered the NBA Playoffs, Westminster Dog Show and professional basketball. She is a graduate of LSU’s Honors College and Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism.
A New Orleans native, Hale is a survivor of cardiomyopathy and a national spokesperson for the American Heart Association, using her platform to raise awareness of heart disease. She is also the founder and CEO of All Access Sideline Pass, which empowers young women through mentorship and scholarships and has awarded $250,000 to date. Hale has served on numerous community and nonprofit boards and received the Bob Roesler Award for Excellence in Sports Journalism—the first woman to receive the honor—as well as the Fund for American Studies’ Alumni Achievement Award and recognition as a Top Female Achiever by New Orleans Magazine.
Also returning for his second year hosting, few voices in music have made an impact as early—or as lasting—as Billy Gilman’s.
Rhode Island native Billy Gilman rose to fame at just 11 years old with his debut single “One Voice.” His debut album went double-platinum, and at 12, he became the youngest artist ever to top Billboard’s Country Albums chart, earning a Guinness World Record. He went on to receive Grammy, CMA, ACM and Billboard Award nominations, as well as an American Music Award, and has sold more than 11 million records worldwide.
In 2016, Gilman introduced himself to a new generation as a standout member of Team Adam Levine on NBC’s The Voice, finishing as runner-up. Now an accomplished singer, songwriter and performer across genres, Gilman continues to release new music and create visual projects, including his latest project Rollercoaster, which produced four Top 5 hits. His visual work has also earned five Telly Awards, cementing a career defined by remarkable longevity, versatility and reinvention.
Be sure to tune in to the Miss America’s Teen Finals, streaming on PageantVision.com on Saturday, September 5 at 7:00 p.m., followed by the Miss America Final on Sunday, September 6 at 7:00 p.m., streaming live to audiences around the world on the official Miss America YouTube channel. The evening will culminate in the crowning of the 99th Miss America. Tickets to live shows are also available for purchase at missamerica.org.
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About Miss America’s Scholarship Foundation Inc. (MASF):
Miss America is the nation’s leading empowerment and service platform for young women, supporting their personal and professional growth while inspiring them to serve as positive role models in their communities. Since 1921, Miss America has been dedicated to its mission of
“Empowering Women to Lead,” engaging thousands of young women nationwide, ages 14-28, as local and state brand ambassadors committed to community service.
Through the Miss America’s Scholarship Foundation Inc., a 501(c)(3), the program awards the largest amount of scholarships to women in America.