What is a Television Talk Show Host?
A television talk show host is someone who is the main presenter and central element of a talk show, and provides the audience with a stable, identifiable figure they can relate to. He or she typically interviews people of interest as well as celebrities, and may also bring in experts in order to educate the audience on different topics. Therefore, the television host may act as either an interviewer, educator, mediator, or all three.
Many well-known hosts have a background in entertainment, and are awarded a talk show because of their recognizable public figure, personality and style. Some work as journalists, gaining contacts, public exposure and credibility through a news-based career. The goal of the television talk show host is to gain a loyal audience and have people tune in for each new episode. He or she has to be comfortable being in front of a live audience and in front of a camera, and should be quick to react and recover if something unplanned were to happen while filming.