Two-time Emmy nominee Neil Patrick Harris has signed to host the 61st annual Emmy Awards airing Sept. 20 on CBS. Harris is one of the stars of the hit CBS sitcom "How I Met Your Mother," which begins its fifth season in the fall. Of late, Harris has proven to be a valuable utility player for both the Eye network and the TV academy.

In June, Neil Patrick Harris emceed the Tony Awards for CBS, earning good reviews while boosting the audience tuning in for these theater kudos. And in April he hosted the TV Land Awards for that cable network, also owned by CBS parent company Viacom.

Last year, Harris and "Pushing Daisies" supporting player Kristin Chenoweth announced the main Primetime Emmy nominations. Harris then teamed with "Scrubs" leading lady Sarah Chalke to co-host the Creative Arts Emmy Awards one week before the prime-time honors were handed out.

The broadcast network airing the Primetime Emmy Awards usually chooses one of its own stars to emcee the kudos-fest. In the press release from the academy touting today's announcement, Harris said, “I'm looking forward to the challenge of the show – adding my own voice to it, while honoring the nominees and the entire year in television. But which voice to choose? I'm torn between gangsta, foppish Brit, and robot. Really proud of my robot. We'll see what happens on the night.”

Neil Patrick Harris came to fame in his teens on TV's "Doogie Howser, M.D." He then spent most of his 20s carving out a niche for himself in  theater. He starred on Broadway and regionally to much success in productions of Tony-winning tuners such as "Cabaret" and "Rent."

Four years ago, Harris returned to series TV as the lovable Lothario Barney on the Monday night hit "How I Met Your Mother." For that role, he has contended at the last two Emmy Awards, losing the supporting actor race both times to Jeremy Piven of "Entourage."