Ellen DeGeneres has announced over Twitter that she will be hosting the 2014 Oscars.
It's official: I'm hosting the #Oscars! I'd like to thank @TheAcademy, my wife Portia and, oh dear, there goes the orchestra.
— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) August 2, 2013
This will be the second time Ellen will host the Oscars - she hosted the 79th annual awards back in 2007, making her the first openly gay man/woman to take on the task. She was also nominated for an Emmy for her hosting skills. We’ll keep you posted with more details as they emerge.
UPDATE: 16.40pm
The official press release has landed. The Oscars will broadcast live on Sunday 2nd March 2014. There's the usual padding and the official announcement from producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron:
"We are thrilled to have Ellen DeGeneres host the Oscars. As a longtime friend, we had always hoped to find a project for us to do together and nothing could be more exciting than teaming up to do the Oscars. There are few stars today who have Ellen’s gift for comedy, with her great warmth and humanity. She is beloved everywhere and we expect that the audience at the Dolby Theatre, and in homes around the globe, will be as excited by this news as we are."
And from the lady herself:
"I am so excited to be hosting the Oscars for the second time. You know what they say - the third time’s the charm."
Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs also weighed in with:
"I agreed with Craig and Neil immediately that Ellen is the ideal host for this year’s show. We’re looking forward to an entertaining, engaging and fun show."
Check out her Oscar monologue from 2007:
