A rendering of the Kids' Choice Awards 2026 stage. Courtesy of Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards set designer Florian Wieder promises that this year’s show will have lots of surprises — and, of course, lots of slime.
The Emmy-winning producer and production designer is reluctant to spill too many details and ruin the surprise for viewers, but he shares that many elements of the set are designed to do something interactive, which is where the slime comes in. For example, this year’s set will feature a swing and a slide that both have slime elements. (There also is a squirrel with laser beams coming out of its eyes.) “[The slime is] mostly hidden, of course, so you don’t know what to expect,” he says. “That’s the point. It’s never just, OK, you’re just sliming people. It’s always attached to something, to make it a little bit more interesting rather than just [spewing slime] around.”
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Wieder, whose credits also include serving as designer for the MTV Video Music Awards, the Eurovision Song Contest and the upcoming Grammys, has also worked with artists including Beyoncé, Adele, Jennifer Lopez, U2 and Lady Gaga. But he’s also no stranger to the Kids’ Choice Awards, having worked on the show previously. “You actually get a proper understanding of the show’s DNA and what this show is about,” he says. “But on the other hand, we always try to come up with something that feels new and fresh. The show has to reinvent every year; otherwise, it’s not a surprise anymore.”
He adds that the Kids’ Choice Awards is one of his favorite shows to work on. “We all feel like we get beamed back into our childhood because we’re allowed to be so creative and do all the crazy stuff,” he says, noting that it’s a collaborative process between him and his team, the network and the producers. “Everybody throws ideas on the table. We really tried to create a huge playground, with all the Nickelodeon DNA, and that’s what led us through this entire creative process.”
Paul Medford, vp live-action unscripted kids and family at Nickelodeon, echoes that sentiment. “This year, we’re taking everything fans love about the Kids’ Choice Awards and making it even bigger,” he says. “Our theme is ‘Everyone’s a Kid at Heart,’ which is really about reminding everyone that no matter your age, there’s always a kid in you who loves to have fun, laugh and let loose.”
Indeed, this year marks a big year for the show, which is airing for the first time ever on CBS in addition to Nickelodeon. Medford adds that the additional broadcast platform will allow more viewers to be part of the at-home experience.
“Having the Kids’ Choice Awards on CBS this year is really exciting because it gives us the opportunity to bring the show to an even bigger audience,” Medford says. “The KCAs have always been about celebrating the stars and franchises kids love, but what really makes the show special is that the winners are voted on by kids around the world. That’s what makes it so unique. Now, with the show airing on CBS, Nickelodeon and Paramount+, even more families can be part of the fun. It’s a great opportunity to bring generations together for a night of big stars, great music, lots of laughs and, of course, plenty of slime.”
Wieder says he’s not feeling any pressure given the bigger broadcast stage. For sets, “bigger is not always better,” he says. “[But] it has to be perfect. We tried to create an environment that, on one hand, feels extremely immersive, so you’re just in the middle of it. The set has to feel populated. What was super important to me, because it is a kids’ show, is that no one looks lost on stage, for example.
“There’s always something going on,” he continues. “It is a relatively busy set, but it has to be busy, otherwise you would see everything [right away], so it really takes time to discover things. And this is what’s giving it its scale; it’s the pure amount [of features] and the intensity of the set, and this is what makes it feel different to previous shows. So it’s not bigger, but there’s more going on. It’s a surprise moment we’re creating, and there’s so much to discover.”
Wieder acknowledges the differences in the CBS audience and the Nickelodeon audience but believes that what he’s designed will appeal to viewers of all ages. “We want to excite not only the kids, we also want to excite some slightly older people as well, a broader audience. We came up with something that feels really immersive. The entire set and the entire scenery and everything is so playful, and I think this works for adults and for kids.”
And, Medford points out, the show is full of celebrities who appeal to a wide audience. Alex Warren is hosting, while Chris Pratt will accept the King of Comedy Award. Other stars set to appear include Teyana Taylor, Keke Palmer, Tony Hawk, Matthew Gray Gubler, Milo Manheim and Meg Donnelly. Ashe is set to perform “Stop the Wedding!” and Sofi Tukker will perform “Tsunami.” (More announcements are forthcoming.)
“There’s a lot of excitement around this year’s show, especially with KCA airing live on CBS for the first time,” he says. “We’re bringing together some of the biggest names in entertainment, digital and music, but at the end of the day, it’s still all about celebrating pop culture, having fun, and giving kids a chance to be part of the show. And you can always count on plenty of slime.”
As for that slime, the recipe is a closely guarded secret, but Wieder has gotten to experience it firsthand several times via slide tests. “I was very wet after that,” he quips.
CBS Presents Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards airs live from Television City in Los Angeles at 8-9:30 p.m. ET/5-6:30 p.m. PT. The KCAs are produced by Done + Dusted.
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