Jimmy Kimmel
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Jimmy Kimmel is set to return as the host of the 96th Academy Awards.
The ABC late night host has agreed to helm the awards ceremony for the fourth time. Kimmel’s selection is unsurprising, given his extensive experience in live TV and longstanding ties with Disney.
This announcement follows the news in mid-October that the Academy has assembled a team of producers, a returning director, and a first-time showrunner in Raj Kapoor, a seasoned live TV and Las Vegas residency producer who has been involved in the Academy Awards telecast for the past seven years. Molly McNearney, Kimmel’s wife and co-head writer of Jimmy Kimmel Live, is also returning as an executive producer of the telecast.
While there were speculations about potentially rescheduling the Oscars during the peak of Hollywood’s dual strikes, such measures are no longer necessary, and the entertainment industry’s elite are already back in full swing. Many are rushing to make up for lost time. In fact, Kimmel’s ABC show is poised to capitalize on the influx of A-listers eager to promote this year’s Oscar contenders.
Jimmy Kimmel Live! was off the air during the writers’ strike, although Kimmel stayed active through his popular “Strike Force Five” podcast with other late night hosts. Profits from the podcast went to support the shows’ staff who were out of work. Kimmel admitted on one of the episodes that he had been “firmly set on retiring” before the strike, but he reaffirmed his commitment to Disney last year, and his ABC show will continue through its 23rd season.
The 96th Oscars are scheduled to air live on ABC, Sunday, March 10, 2024, from the Dolby Theatre.
