After forgoing a host for the 2019 Oscars, the 2020 Oscars ceremony is going hostless once again.
“Together with the Academy we have decided there will be no traditional host again this year, repeating what worked for us last year: huge entertainment value, big musical numbers, big comedy, and star power,” ABC President Karey Burke announced at the 2020 Television Critics Assn. press tour in Pasadena, Calif. on Wednesday. “Voting just closed last night and nominations will be announced on Monday.”
Last year the Academy Awards had no host for the first time in 30 years after comedian Kevin Hart was originally announced as host but stepped down after homophobic tweets of his resurfaced, igniting controversy. The Academy decided to not replace him and move forward without a host for the first time since 1989, and it gained rave reviews from fans and critics alike.
Speaking to a small group of journalists later, Burke added that last year’s hostless ceremony “was so entertaining” and “filled with surprises” while staying “tight.”
“And you saw the results of that with the ratings being up by double digits,” she says. “We felt lucky to have such great movies being nominated but we are feeling like we are going to have a slate that is that commercially strong this year which is why we felt really confident in this decision.”
But having no host two years in a row doesn’t mean the Oscars will always be without a host in the future. “It will be [a year-to-year decision],” Burke says. “The producers of the Oscars really have a heavy hand in the decision-making as well. We work with them and our partners at the Academy to make the decision… We did consider [having a host this year]. There was a lot of conversation about which way to go and there may be a day when we decide to have a host again. But the focus has been on the most entertaining show and not on the host.”
The 92nd Academy Awards will air Sunday, Feb. 9 on ABC.
-Entertainment Weekly
