Comedian Jimmy Kimmel returns to host the Academy Awards, marking the second time in a row and fourth overall that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has selected him to host the awards ceremony.
“I’ve always dreamed of hosting the Academy Awards exactly four times,” Kimmel said in one announcement on Wednesday. HuffPost reached out to Kimmel’s team for further comment, but did not immediately receive a response.
The 96th Academy Awards will air live on ABC and other outlets on March 10 from Los Angeles. Kimmel, the host and executive producer of the talk show “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” returns as host with his wife, Molly McNearney, as executive producer for the second year in a row.
“We are thrilled to have Jimmy return as host and Molly to return as executive producer of the Academy Awards,” Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang said in a announcement. “They share our love of film and our commitment to producing a dynamic and entertaining show for our global audience.”
Hailed by the show’s executive producers as “one of the all-time great Oscar hosts,” Kimmel first hosted the Oscars in 2017 and took the role again in 2018. From 2019 to 2021, the Oscars were hampered by the coronavirus pandemic and did not have a host, with the 2021 presentation drawing the lowest viewership in the show’s history at 10.4 million, Deadline reported.
But viewership increased this year when the academy brought Kimmel back to host the show with nearly 19 million views in 2023, a significant increase from the 16.6 million in 2022, according to New York Times.
“Following his triumphant return to the Oscars stage last year, we are honored to have Jimmy back to guide us through one of the most beloved celebrations in entertainment,” said Craig Erwich, president of ABC Entertainment, Hulu and Disney Branded Television Streaming Originals. in a announcement.
