Ellen DeGeneres will host the 2014 Academy Awards. The talk show host - who first presented the awards in 2007, earning herself an Emmy nomination - will take over from 2013 host Seth MacFarlane.

"I am so excited to be hosting the Oscars for the second time. You know what they say - the third time's the charm," she said.

Producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron praised Ellen's "gift for comedy" as they announced her appointment as the host of the live broadcast which will take place on March 2, 2014. "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," they said.

Academy president Cheryl Boone was equally enthusiastic about the Finding Nemo star, saying, "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."