Late-night TV star Jimmy Kimmel will return to the Academy Awards next year. Per ABC, it has been officially announced by executive producers and showrunners Glenn Weiss and Ricky Kirshner that Kimmel is going to host the Oscars in 2023, marking the third time so far that he’s done the duty. The show is dated to be broadcast live on ABC on March 12, 2023, and the Academy heads don’t seem like they could be any happier with the news.
“We’re super thrilled to have Jimmy score his hat trick on this global stage. We know he will be funny and ready for anything!” Weiss and Kirshner, who are executive producing the show with Molly McNearney, said in a statement.
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A joint statement by Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang added: “Jimmy is the perfect host to help us recognize 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. With Kimmel, Weiss, and Kirshner’s fresh perspective and masterful guidance, the Oscars will celebrate its rich 95-year history, the collaborative nature of moviemaking, and our diverse, dynamic, and deeply creative community of filmmakers.”
Jimmy Kimmel Will Become a Third-Timer
ABC
“Being invited to host the Oscars for a third time is either a great honor or a trap,” Kimmel also said of accepting the job. “Either way, I am grateful to the Academy for asking me so quickly after everyone good said ’no,'
Kimmel first hosted the Oscars in 2017, a show that was notable for its Best Picture gaffe that saw La La Land inadvertently announced as the winner before Moonlight was soon after revealed as the actual winner. The cast of La La Land was already on stage to accept the honor by the time the mistake was realized. Kimmel returned the following year to host the show in 2018. His third time hosting in 2023 will put him along the likes of Jerry Lewis, Steve Martin, Conrad Nagel, and David Niven as three-time hosts of the show. Bob Hope holds the all-time record with 11 gigs hosting, followed by Billy Crystal at 9, Johnny Carson at 5, and both Whoopi Goldberg and Jack Lemmon hosting 4 times.
Meanwhile, Kimmel will remain at his home in late-night television for some time to come. He recently signed a three-year extension to his contract, ensuring that Jimmy Kimmel Live! won’t be going off the air anytime soon. This makes Kimmel one of the longest-running talk show hosts in TV history, though the job doesn’t prevent him from picking up fun side gigs like hosting the Academy Awards.
