How I Met Your Oscar? Neil Patrick Harris to host Academy Awards

How I Met Your Mother star Neil Patrick Harris is to present next year’s Oscars ceremony, the awards’ organisers have announced. The actor, who also appeared in cult 1990s teen comedy drama Doogie Howser, MD, will present the televised ceremony on 22 February, next year. The ceremony, which is the culmination of the 87th awards, will be shown on the ABC television network. Harris, 41, is best known for his role as Barney Stinson in the sitcom How I Met Your Mother.

It is truly an honour and a thrill to be asked to host this year’s Academy Awards. I grew up watching the Oscars and was always in such awe of some of the greats who hosted the show.

Show producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron

He has already hosted the Emmy Awards, which are presented for the best television shown in the US. He has himself won three Emmys for hosting the Tony Awards, which are given out to the best US theatre shows. The Oscars has one of the highest US audiences out of any awards. Last year’s ceremony was presented by Ellen DeGeneres, whose tweeted star-studded selfie became the most retweeted image ever. Harris is currently being seen in the cinemas in Gone Girl, with Rosamund Pike and Ben Affleck.

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