Jane Lynch, the openly lesbian star of Glee has been named as the host of the 2011 Primetime Emmy TV awards.

Lynch, who plays the cheerleader coach Sue Sylvester in Glee last year said she was “tickled pink” to be hosting the live TV ceremony in Los Angeles ceremony on 18 September.

“I’m looking forward to singing, dancing and sporting my finest tracksuit,” she said.

The show’s executive producer Mark Burnett said that Lynch, 50 has “incredible comedic timing” and is “a charismatic, talented actress whose energy leaps off the screen and stage”.

“Jane was my first and only choice as the host for this year’s Primetime Emmys,” he added.

She won the best supporting actress in a comedy series, for her role in the hit show Glee last year.

Last year, after she married her long term partner, Lynch said: “It’s funny, when I was younger I used to lie in bed and think, ‘What will I do if I ever get famous and they find out I’m gay?’ I would really angst about that.”

She added: “It just happened so naturally and I didn’t hide anything.”