In an exciting announcement, American TV host and comedian Jimmy Kimmel is confirmed to make a comeback as the host for the 96th Academy Awards. Kimmel, who expressed his enthusiasm in a recent release, humorously stated, “I always dreamed of hosting the Oscars exactly four times.”
Taking to social media platform X, Kimmel shared the news with his followers, saying, “I am enthused to announce that I am returning to host the #Oscars on Sunday, March 10th. Please keep it between us, thanks. @TheAcademy.”
Adding to the anticipation, Kimmel’s wife, Molly McNearney, known for her Emmy-nominated work as a writer and executive producer of the 2023 event, will also join him as an executive producer for the 2024 broadcast.
Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang expressed their excitement about Kimmel’s return, stating, “We are thrilled about Jimmy returning to host and Molly returning as executive producer for the Oscars. They share our love of movies and our commitment to producing a dynamic and entertaining show for our global audience.”
Kimmel previously hosted the Oscars in 2017 and 2018, and after a brief host-less period from 2019 to 2021, the 2022 Oscars were helmed by Regina Hall, Wanda Sykes, and Amy Schumer.
The creative team for the ABC broadcast has been confirmed, with director Hamish Hamilton leading for the fourth time. Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullen will serve as first-time executive producers, with Kapoor also taking on the role of showrunner.
“Jimmy has cemented himself as one of the all-time great Oscars hosts with his perfect blend of humanity and humor, and Molly is one of the best live TV producers around. We are delighted to be working with them and their teams on the show,” said Kapoor and Mullen in the Academy’s news release on Wednesday.
The 96th Oscars are scheduled to take place on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Ovation Hollywood.
