American television host Jimmy Kimmel, who hosted the Oscars in 2017 and 2018, will return as the solo host of the 95th Oscars in 2023, according to the official website of the Academy Awards.
“Being invited to host the Oscars for a third time is either a great honor or a trap. Either way, I am grateful to the Academy for asking me so quickly after everyone good said no,” Jimmy joked in a statement.
The 55-year-old will be the fifth personality to host the Oscars for the third time. Jerry Lewis, Steve Martin, Conrad Nagel and David Niven are all three-time hosts of the Academy Awards.
Hollywood actors Whoopi Golberg and Jack Lemmon have both hosted the award function four times each, while late comedian Johnny Carson hosted the Academy Awards five times. Actor Billy Crystal has turned host nine-times for the Oscars and British-American comedian Bob Hope has hosted the Academy Awards 11 times — the highest by any individual.
Comedian Chris Rock was the host for last year’s Academy Awards. He was slapped by Will Smith on stage over a joke, resulting in one of the biggest Oscar controversies of all time.
“Jimmy is the perfect host to help us recognise the incredible artists and films of our 95th Oscars. His love of movies, live TV expertise, and ability to connect with our global audiences will create an unforgettable experience for our millions of viewers worldwide,” Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy president Janet Yang said in a joint statement.
Jimmy had also hosted the 2020 Primetime Emmys recently at Staples Center. The 95th Oscars will be held on March 12, 2023, at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood, and will be televised live on ABC worldwide.
