Tom Hanks headlines star-studded TV special for Joe Biden inauguration

Tom Hanks will host a 90-minute primetime TV special celebrating Joe Biden's inauguration. Photo / AP

Tom Hanks will lead a primetime special celebrating Joe Biden's inauguration.

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will be sworn in as President and Vice President of the United States on January 20 and the Forrest Gump actor is to host the special, which will be broadcast on ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN and MSNBC as well as livestreamed on social media and Amazon Prime Video.

Jon Bon Jovi, Demi Lovato and Justin Timberlake are also set to make an appearance.
Presidential Inaugural Committee CEO Dr Tony Allen, said: "This inauguration presents a unique opportunity to spotlight the resilience and spirit of an America United.

"We have witnessed countless heroes this past year step up to the frontlines and serve their fellow Americans, so we are telling their stories, spreading their collective light, and celebrating the best of our country and its people with this prime-time program. Our first priority is safety - so while many of us will be watching safely from our homes, we are creating real moments of connection that highlight a new inclusive American era of leadership that works for and represents all Americans."

Jon Bon Jovi, Justin Timberlake, and Demi Lovato will perform during the livestreamed special. Photo / AP

It comes after Biden and Harris were named TIME magazine's Person of the Year.
Making the announcement, TIME editor-in-chief Edward Felstenthal said: "Person of the Year is not just about the year that was, but about where we're headed, and the next four years are going to be an enormous test of them and all of us to see whether they can bring about a unity."

Reflecting on the election results, Biden said: "This moment was one of those do-or-die moments. Had Trump won, I think we would have changed the nature of who we are as a country for a long time."

Meanwhile, Harris added: "We're at a moment where we will be confronted by many crises that have converged. We're talking about a public health crisis, we are in the midst of an economic crisis, a long-overdue reckoning on racial injustice, and a climate crisis.

"We got a lot of things that we need to handle, and we will multitask to address them all."