‘West Wing’ star to host Fourth of July bash

A familiar face is returning to Washington, D.C., for the Fourth of July.

Emmy and Screen Actors Guild award-winning actor Bradley Whitford — whom fans of “The West Wing” know as Josh Lyman, the fictional White House deputy chief of staff — will host PBS’s 35th annual “A Capitol Fourth” on Saturday night.

Asked why the network chose Whitford to emcee the event, Michael Colbert, the executive producer of “A Capitol Fourth” exclaimed: “It’s more like why wouldn’t you?”

{mosads}In addition to Whitford’s hosting duties and an impressive fireworks show, the patriotic soiree includes many other big names.

Barry Manilow will open and close the evening’s event, with musical performances from Alabama, Nicole Scherzinger, Hunter Hayes, Meghan Lindsey, KC and the Sunshine Band, Lang Lang, Ronan Tynan and the National Symphony Orchestra, according to PBS.

Fans who can’t make it to the West Lawn of the Capitol can tune into the 90-minute show live on PBS, NPR or the American Forces Network at 8:00 p.m.

Colbert said Whitford would be a boost for the event.

“You want a great actor who can bring us back to the meaning of the holiday,” he told The Hill.