The Golden Globe Awards will introduce a new TV special achievement trophy at next month’s telecast and name it after its first recipient — veteran comedienne Carol Burnett.
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association said the Carol Burnett Award — the small-screen version of the group’s film counterpart, the Cecil B DeMille Award — will annually honour someone “who has made outstanding contributions to television on or off the screen”.
The first Carol Burnett Award will go to Burnett, a five-time Golden Globe winner who was the first woman to host a variety sketch programme, The Carol Burnett Show, which ran for 11 years and received 25 Emmy Awards.
The 85-year-old will be on hand to accept her award during the January 6 ceremony, being presented by Sandra Oh and Andy Samberg, live on NBC.
In a statement, association president Meher Tatna hailed Burnett for breaking barriers while making people laugh.
“We are profoundly grateful for her contributions to the entertainment industry and honoured to celebrate her legacy forever at the Golden Globes,” she said.
In addition to her work on TV, theatre and movies, Burnett has established several scholarships around the country, including the Carol Burnett Musical Theatre Competition at her alma mater, the University of California, and the Carrie Hamilton Foundation, to honour the memory of her daughter, who died in 2002.
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The Globes are making another change this year: the actual award has been redesigned to be taller and heavier.
The new design is 2lb heavier and nearly an inch taller and replaces the previous version’s marble base with an all-metal design. The design of a globe wrapped in a film strip remains at the top.