Cohen was producers' first choice

Sacha Baron Cohen was the Oscar producers’ first choice to host this year’s Academy Awards – but was vetoed because he was too unpredictable.

Bill Mechanic and Adam Shankman, who are producing the ceremony for the first time this year, had wanted the Borat creator to inject some anarchy into the proceedings.

But conservative bosses at the Academy Of Motion Pictures Arts And Sciences, which hands out the statuettes, knocked back the suggestion.

Shankman said: ‘The Academy swatted it down. They thought it was too big of a wild card.’

Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin will now co-host the big night on March 7.

Published: 20 Feb 2010