Baldwin to replace Robert Osborne as The Essentials host

Actor Alec Baldwin has been named the new host of "The Essentials", succeeding the late Robert Osborne on the show. "The Essentials" showcases "must-see" classic films, often with commentary from special guests.

Joining Baldwin for the show's upcoming season, which kicks off on May 6, will be David Letterman, Baldwin's former "30 Rock" co-star and series creator Tina Fey, and Oscar-winning director William Friedkin, reports people.com.

With each of his guests, Baldwin will introduce a hand-picked list of classics and discuss the cultural and cinematic significance of the films. Among their picks are "East of Eden", "Rear Window", "The Bride of Frankenstein", and "The Manchurian Candidate".

Osborne, who died last month, had been with Turner Classic Movies (TCM) network since its inception in 1994 and helped to create many of its trademark properties, including "The Essentials". He hosted it from 2006 to 2015.

"I have some big shoes to fill hosting 'The Essentials', and I plan on doing Bob proud with this new season of 'The Essentials'," Baldwin said in a statement.

Baldwin has hosted numerous on-air interviews, including one with Osborne in 2015, as well as interviewing guests at TCM's annual film festival in Hollywood.

"It was a natural direction for us to take," Charlie Tabesh, TCM's Senior Vice President of Programming and Production, said of hiring Baldwin for the series.

"Over time, Alec's become a real part of the TCM family, and he had gotten close to Robert. And transitioning him into more of the host role just made sense."