Oscars 2022: Award gala to have host after three-year absence

Oscars 2022 will be the first since the 2018 ceremony to have a host. Jimmy Kimmel served as the last host of the Academy Awards, having emceed the ceremony in 2017 and 2018.

Washington (US): The 94th Academy Awards, scheduled to air on March 27, will be the first since the 2018 ceremony to have a host. As per Variety, Craig Erwich, president, Hulu Originals and ABC Entertainment, announced that the Oscars would return to a host (after three years without one) on Tuesday, during ABC's portion of the winter Television Critics Association virtual press tour.

However, he didn't elaborate on who it might be. "It might be me," Erwich quipped, before touting his confidence in Oscars executive producer Will Packer.

"Will really has his pulse on popular culture and entertainment. I know he has a lot in store and we'll have more details to share soon," Erwich said.

Jimmy Kimmel served as the last host of the Academy Awards, having emceed the ceremony in 2017 and 2018.

Other hosts over the past decade included Chris Rock (2016), Neil Patrick Harris (2015), Ellen DeGeneres (2014), Seth MacFarlane (2013), Billy Crystal (2012) and James Franco/Anne Hathaway (2011).

The Oscars went hostless in 2019 when the Academy at first announced Kevin Hart for the hosting gig. However, Hart later decided to drop out after the organisation asked him to apologise for years-old homophobic tweets; after that, the 2019 event went hostless.

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As the 2019 Oscars actually saw its ratings increase vs. the previous year, the Academy and ABC also decided to go without a host in 2020. The ratings dipped slightly; but 2021's COVID-delayed Oscars, which took place at Union Station, also without a host, lost more than half of its audience.

Coming back to Oscars 2022, ABC, on Tuesday, also announced that Glenn Weiss would return to direct the Academy Awards for the seventh consecutive year.

Will Packer is the executive producer of this year's Academy Awards. The Oscars will air live on ABC and broadcast outlets in more than 200 territories worldwide on March 27 (8 pm ET/5 pm PT).

The ceremony will return to its usual spot at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood, after last year's pandemic-delayed Oscars, which was broadcast from Union Station in downtown Los Angeles.

The Oscar nominations will be announced on February 8.

(With agency inputs)