Joy Awards 2027 Facing Cancellation Amid Saudi Entertainment Spending Review

Next year's Joy Awards are set to be cancelled amid a reassessment of spending on major entertainment events in Saudi Arabia. The televised gala event, normally held in Riyadh in January, will not take place in 2027, according to Reuters reports. The event's organisers, Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority and MBC Group, have not issued a statement confirming the cancellation.

The Joy Awards trace their roots to the Joy Forum in 2019, when Shah Rukh Khan, Jackie Chan, Jason Momoa and Jean-Claude Van Damme were among the international figures recognised in Riyadh. The awards returned three years later as part of Riyadh Season, the annual programme of concerts, theatre, sport and entertainment staged across the Saudi capital, and have since become a major fixture in the Arab entertainment calendar.

Most Joy Awards categories are decided by public vote across film, television, music, sport and social media, while separate honours include Lifetime Achievement and Personality of the Year awards. The show is broadcast on MBC channels and Shahid. Past editions have featured notable honorees and performers including John Travolta, Salman Khan, Mohammed Abdu, Kadim Al Sahir, Hany Shaker, Anthony Hopkins, Morgan Freeman, Andrea Bocelli, Hans Zimmer, Angham, Fadel Shaker, Mohammed Fadl Shaker, Forest Whitaker, Farouk Hosny, Millie Bobby Brown, Katy Perry, Robbie Williams, Il Divo, Oscar Isaac, Jeremy Piven, Heather Graham and Travis Fimmel.

If confirmed, this decision would follow the postponement of the Red Sea International Film Festival, previously due to take place in Jeddah, and the cancellation of this year's Soundstorm music festival in Riyadh. Organisers of the Red Sea International Film Festival stated it would take place in late 2027 following a review of logistics, while Soundstorm organiser MDL Beast noted the music festival would return next year.

Meanwhile, the seventh Riyadh Season is scheduled to begin on October 21, featuring a 10-week programme of concerts, theatre, comedy, family entertainment, sport, and major competitions, with acts such as Fadel Chaker slated to perform.