Jimmy Kimmel to host Oscars for fourth time

I always dreamed of hosting the Oscars exactly four times,' said the late-night show, who hosted the Academy Awards in 2017, 2018 and 2023

Jimmy Kimmel is returning as host of the Academy Awards for the second straight year and fourth time overall, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences announced Wednesday.

Broadcaster ABC is turning again to its late-night host a year after bringing Kimmel back for a 2023 ceremony that drew 18.7 million viewers, the most since 2020's pre-pandemic broadcast but still the third worst ever recorded. In the wake of Will Smith's slap of Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars, Kimmel led a cautious ceremony that helped stabilize the Academy Awards after years of turmoil.