Andy Cohen, Giuliana Rancic to Host MISS UNIVERSE on NBC, 12/19

Related: 012 MISS UNIVERSE COMPETITION, NBC

NBC, Donald J. Trump, and Miss Universe President Paula M. Shugart announced today that the 61st Annual MISS UNIVERSE(R) Competition will air live on Wednesday, December 19th, 2012 from Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino' s Theatre for the Performing Arts in Las Vegas, Nevada. The glamorous event will be broadcast on NBC from 8-10 p.m. ET in the United States with a Spanish simulcast on Telemundo. Andy Cohen, host of Bravo's "Watch What Happens Live" and Giuliana Rancic, co-anchor of "E! News," will serve as hosts.

"The Miss Universe competition heads to Las Vegas for what will be another exciting show for our fans and contestants," said Paula Shugart, President of the Miss Universe Organization. "Andy and Giuliana are the perfect duo and the ideal hosts for this show. It's obvious they have a lot of fun on stage, which in turn makes it a great experience for the audience. We look forward to collaborating with them and our partners, Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, on this worldwide telecast."

The Miss Universe telecast is televised in approximately 190 countries and was the #1 social media trending topic during last year's telecast. More than 1 billion viewers worldwide are expected to tune in for the live event. This also marks the first time that the Miss Universe telecast is part of NBC's holiday line-up.

Returning as host of Miss Universe, Andy Cohen is the host and executive producer of "Watch What Happens Live," Bravo's late night, interactive talk show that features guests from some of Bravo's most popular series, as well as from the world of entertainment, politics and pop culture. He is also the executive vice president of development and talent for Bravo where he oversees the development and production of more than two dozen shows such as "Top Chef," "The Real Housewives" franchises and "The Millionaire Matchmaker."

Giuliana Rancic is an anchor of "E! News" and co-host of E!'s hugely popular "Fashion Police." She is also the executive producer/star of her hit Style Network reality show, "Giuliana & Bill." Rancic can also be seen co-hosting E!'s "Live From the Red Carpet" coverage of events such as the Golden Globes. While she has twice hosted the Miss USA competition, this marks the first time she hosts Miss Universe.

Located along the Las Vegas Strip, the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino is the newest member of Caesars Entertainment offering guests nearly three acres of casino entertainment. More than 80 contestants from around the world will land at the hotel and spend nearly three weeks participating in various activities leading up to the telecast. They will be judged in three categories: swimsuit, evening gown and interview as they vie for the coveted title of Miss Universe 2012. Angolan-beauty Leila Lopes, Miss Universe 2011, will crown her successor at the conclusion of the two-hour telecast.

For more information, visit: www.nbc.com or www.missuniverse.com; Like us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/nbc and follow us on Twitter: @NBC

ABOUT NBC ENTERTAINMENT:

NBC Entertainment develops and schedules programming for the network's primetime, late-night, and daytime schedules. NBC's quality programs and balanced lineup have earned the network critical acclaim, numerous awards, and ratings success. NBC has earned more Emmy Awards than any network in television history. NBC's roster of popular scripted series includes the Emmy Award-winning comedies "The Office" and "30 Rock," as well as the critically acclaimed "Parks and Recreation" and "Community," and new popular comedies "The New Normal," "Go On," "Animal Practice" and "Guys With Kids." NBC's drama slate is highlighted by the buzz-worthy new series "Revolution" and "Chicago Fire," veteran award-winning shows "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" and "Parenthood," and the acclaimed recent additions "Smash" and "Grimm." Unscripted series for NBC include the vocal competition hit "The Voice" as well as "The Biggest Loser," "The Celebrity Apprentice" and the perennial #1 most-watched summer series, "America's Got Talent."

In late-night, NBC regularly delivers #1 broadcast results with "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon," "Last Call with Carson Daly" and "Saturday Night Live." NBC Daytime's "Days of our Lives" consistently ranks among daytime's top programs in the valuable women 18-34 category. The five-time, Emmy Award-winning NBC.com streams full episodes and provides original content for NBC entertainment shows online and through apps for mobile and tablet devices. NBC recently launched NBC Kids, a new Saturday morning programming block designed specifically to address the developmental needs of preschool-aged children. Programmed by the kids' experts at Sprout, the nation's first 24-hour preschool television channel, this new three-hour block will feature educational series that promote active, healthy lifestyles for younger children.

ABOUT THE MISS UNIVERSE(R) PAGEANT:

The Miss Universe Organization, a Donald J. Trump and NBCUniversal joint venture, is a global community empowering role models of beauty, health and leadership for young women of today. The organization is dedicated to partnering with charities around the world, and to increasing HIV/AIDS awareness by focusing on women's health issues. For more information, visit: www.missuniverse.com; Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/OfficialMissUniverse; or Twitter: @MissUniverse.