Jimmy Kimmel is returning as host of the Academy Awards for the second straight 12 months and fourth time general, the Academy of Movement Photos Arts and Sciences has introduced.
ABC is popping once more to its late-night host a 12 months after bringing Kimmel again for a 2023 ceremony that drew 18.7 million viewers, probably the most since 2020’s pre-pandemic broadcast. Within the wake of Will Smith’s slap of Chris Rock on the 2022 Oscars, Kimmel led a cautious ceremony that helped stabilise the Academy Awards after years of turmoil.
Kimmel additionally hosted the Oscars in 2017 and 2018. “I all the time dreamed of internet hosting the Oscars precisely 4 instances, Kimmel mentioned in an announcement.
Although the comedian is inching up within the file books, he is nonetheless a protracted methods from probably the most frequent Oscar emcee. That title belongs to Bob Hope, who hosted a file 19 instances both solo or as a co-host. Billy Crystal hosted 9 instances all between 1990 and 2012.
The movie academy earlier introduced that Raj Kapoor will function govt producer and showrunner, Katy Mullan will govt produce and Hamish Hamilton will direct. They’re going to be joined by Molly McNearney, govt producer of Jimmy Kimmel Dwell and Kimmel’s spouse, who will return for a second consecutive 12 months to function an govt producer for the present.
“Jimmy has cemented himself as one of many all-time nice Oscars hosts along with his excellent mix of humanity and humour, and Molly is among the greatest dwell TV producers round,” Kapoor and Mullan mentioned in an announcement.
The 96th Academy Awards will air dwell on ABC on March 10 from the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
