Martin to host 75th awards

Steve Martin is to host next year's Oscars - their 75th anniversary.

It will be the second time the actor and comic has compered the ceremony as he also did the honours last year.

He said: "I'm very pleased to be hosting the Oscars again, because fear and nausea always make me lose weight."

Academy Awards director Gil Cates, said: "The 75th anniversary show is a meaningful one for the academy, and it is wonderful to work with a host who's done it before - a host who's witty, clever, sharp, intelligent, quick on his feet and always on top of the unfolding action. Wait, I've forgotten something. Oh yeah, and outrageously funny."

At the 73rd Oscars, Martin joked in true Swiss Toni style: "Hosting the Oscars is like making love to a beautiful woman. It's something I only get to do when Billy Crystal's out of town."

The Academy Awards will take place on March 23 at Hollywood's Kodak Theatre.

Published: 7 Nov 2002