Sesame Street has an impressive roster of special guests lined up for the 55th season of the beloved children’s show, which premieres on Max on Jan. 16. SZA, Noah Kahan, Chris Stapleton, Reneé Rapp, and Samara Joy are set to appear on episodes this year, during a season that will center on teaching kids about emotional well-being.
Actor Michael B. Jordan, TV personality/hair stylist Jonathan Van Ness and tennis player Billie Jean King round out the list of celebrity guests Sesame Workshop announced on Thursday (Jan. 9).
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This season’s celebrity guests will join the program for “Street Stories,” songs and other segments.
New Sesame Street episodes will air every Thursday. With its focus on emotional well-being this season, the show aims to “help children learn accessible strategies to comprehend and cope with big feelings through fun, lighthearted, relatable and engaging stories,” according to a press release from Sesame Workshop.
“New episodes of Sesame Street will help young viewers understand and express their feelings, learn new mindfulness practices, and as always, have a blast with their favorite furry and funny friends,” Sesame Street executive producer Sal Perez says. “Whether it’s taking a volcano breath when angry, learning to give yourself a hug when frustrated, or wiggling it out when disappointed, we are empowering children with the strategies to help build resiliency and the foundational skills for emotional well-being.”
“This season’s emotional well-being curriculum was developed in response to the growing mental health crisis affecting children globally. Focusing on emotion awareness and social connection skills, children will learn that all feelings are important and that we all experience big feelings, as well as how to navigate social scenarios with friends, families, and the wider community,” adds Dr. Rosemarie Truglio, Sesame Workshop’s senior vp of curriculum and content.
Big Bird, Cookie Monster, Oscar the Grouch, Bert, Ernie, Elmo, Abby and more keep joining in on the fun and learning on Sesame Street, which also continues to be available on PBS stations via streaming on PBS KIDS.
See the full lineup of upcoming guests announced for Sesame Street and watch the trailer for Season 55 below.
Reneé Rapp (Thursday, January 16)
Michael B. Jordan (Thursday, Jan. 23)
Samara Joy (Thursday, Feb. 6)
Noah Kahan (Thursday, March 6)
SZA (Thursday, April 10)
Chris Stapleton (Thursday, July 24)
Jonathan Van Ness (Thursday, Aug. 21)
Billie Jean King (Thursday, August 28)