Justin Timberlake is set to host the annual awards show for US cable television sports channel ESPN.

The Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Awards, or ESPY Awards, are set to take place on July 20 at Los Angeles' Nokia Theatre and will be televised live on ESPN.

Although Timberlake may seem an odd choice to host a sports awards show, the singer admits that he's a sports junkie.

"I'll do my best to deliver a great show, as I do not want to be roughed up backstage by these athletes who are bigger, faster and stronger than me," he told the Associated Press.