It’s official. Comedian and TV talk show host Ellen DeGeneres will return to host the 86th annual Academy Awards show — set for Sunday, March 2 on WLS-Channel 7.
Returning Oscar show producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron called DeGeneres among the “few stars today who have [her] gift for comedy, with her great warmth and humanity.”
This will DeGeneres’ second time in the Oscar hosting hot seat — considered perhaps the toughest and most-closely scrutinized emcee gig in the world. Reacting to the announcement, DeGeneres joked, “I am so excited to be hosting the Oscars for the second time. You know what they say – the third time’s the charm.”
DeGeneres previously hosted the Academy Awards in 2007, for which she was nominated for a Primetime Emmy award.
