Kevin Hart to host 2019 Oscars

Comedian Kevin Hart will host the next Academy Awards ceremony in February in 2019.

The "Ride Along" actor shared the news through an Instagram post on Tuesday, reports hollywoodreporter.com.

"I will be sure to make this years Oscars a special one," said the comedian, adding: "Now it's time to rise to the occasion."

The star is emceeing the event for the first time.

First-time producers Donna Gigliotti and Glenn Weiss will oversee the show, with Gigliotti serving as producer and Weiss on hand as co-producer and director.

Jimmy Kimmel was happy to pass on the baton to Hart.

"Congratulations amigo. The Academy made an excellent choice. You are going to kill it," Kimmel tweeted.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences had held talks with the comedian about hosting the February ceremony.

"I appreciate The Academy for the opportunity," wrote Hart in his post.

"For years I have been asked if I would ever host the Oscars and my answer was always the same...I said that it would be the opportunity of a lifetime for me as a comedian and that it will happen when it's suppose to."

The last two Oscar shows were hosted by Kimmel and produced by Michael De Luca and Jennifer Todd. But each year ratings declined, with a record-low 26.5 million viewers tuning in for last March's broadcast, which adds to the pressure the new team will face.

Oscars 2019 will be held on February 24, and will be aired in India on Star World.

--IANS

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