Kevin Hart has said hosting the Oscars was “a goal on my list for a long time”, as he confirmed he is fronting 2019’s star-studded ceremony.
Describing it as the “opportunity of a lifetime for me as a comedian”, he said “my mom is smiling from ear to ear right now”.
He’s following on from Jimmy Kimmel, who hosted both last year and also for 2017’s infamous #Envelopegate.
Jumanji star Hart said he will “rise to the occasion”.
He described previous hosts, who include Ellen DeGeneres, Chris Rock, Hugh Jackman, Jon Stewart, Whoopi Goldberg and Billy Crystal, as a “legendary list”.
“I will be sure to make this years Oscars a special one,” he added.
Hart will no doubt be hoping he doesn’t have to preside over anything as dramatic as #Envelopegate, when the best picture award was wrongly handed to La La Land instead of Moonlight.
But he will still face mounting pressure to attract a bigger TV audiences, especially a younger demographic, as viewing figures for ceremony continue to dwindle.
This year’s ceremony attracted its smallest recorded US TV audience with 26.5 million total viewers, down from 32.9 million in 2017.
Hollywood Reporter has called hosting the Oscars “the least wanted job in Hollywood”.
It said: “Many who might appear perfect to host have sidestepped the job. Oprah Winfrey. Justin Timberlake. Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Jerry Seinfeld…
“Even Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, who dazzled at the Golden Globes in 2013, 2014 and 2015, have reportedly passed on the Oscar job.”
