Dax Shepard hinted that he was absent from the 2026 SAG Acting Awards because he was scheduled to undergo a colonoscopy to support his wife Kristen Bell, who was the night’s host.
The ‘Armchair Expert’ podcaster revealed he had apparently undergone surgery in a post to his Instagram Stories early Sunday morning, just hours before the star-studded event was to take place.
Shepard shared a screenshot of the text message exchange with the hashtag “#colonoscopyprep.”
“Clear liquid today…until 8 a.m. Monday,” the text from someone named Edward said. “Then only water (including coffee/tea with no additives/calories) until 10am on Monday.
“Then there’s nothing to say. We’ll be arriving at 11:15. Would you like a copy?”
The “Baby Mama” actor, 51, jokingly replied that he’s currently “eating steak with lots of seeds and nuts.”
Despite her absence, Shepherd sent a sweet shout-out to Bell, 45, ahead of her big night in an Instagram post on Sunday morning.
“Warning: Do not watch if you are allergic to easy charm, delicious wit, velvety vocals, world-class impersonations, high-in-tight buns, timeless beauty, or Disney-level loveliness,” he captioned a promotional image of Bell for the awards ceremony.
“It may also be ‘too much’ for people with heart conditions,” he continued. “For everyone else’s sake, buckle up!!!”
The “Frozen” voice actor kicked off the night at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles with a cheeky monologue that poked fun at Hollywood stage names.
Earlier in the evening, the “Nobody Wants This” star made it clear he wasn’t trying to make fun of anyone in the audience.
“For me, hosting is not fun,” she told Netflix on the red carpet just before hitting the stage. “It’s not for me. If I’m going to burn anyone, it’s going to be me.”
The “Veronica Mars” alum left little to the imagination in a see-through beaded purple dress by Georges Hobeika.
This isn’t the first time she’s hosted an awards show, having delivered a monologue in 2018 and last year.
When Bell announced he was hosting the event earlier this year, he hinted that he might sing during the monologue.
“I have enjoyed hosting the show each time, so it was an easy decision to come back for a third time,” Bell said in a statement in January.
“What I’m most excited about is the fact that I get to do what every actor does best… sing :),” she teased.
Although Bell attended this year purely as a host, he was nominated for a trophy at last year’s SAG Awards for his role in the Netflix romantic comedy.
Bell has been married to Shepard since 2013 and they have two daughters, Lincoln, 12, and Delta, 11.
Representatives for Bell and Shepherd did not immediately respond to Page Six’s requests for comment.
