The organisers of the Academy Awards are considering dispensing entirely with a host for the ceremony after the abrupt departure of Kevin Hart, it has been reported.
The sense of crisis around the 2019 edition has remained constant, since a record low of 26.5m people watched the 2018 broadcast.
Quoting anonymous “insiders”, Variety suggest that the Academy were taken by surprise by Hart’s refusal to apologise, and subsequent stepping down from the TV show.
An attempt to broaden its appeal by introducing a best popular film backfired spectacularly, and was quickly dropped, although the show’s running time has been shortened.