Kevin Hart steps down as Oscars 2019 host

Kevin Hart has announced his decision to step down as the host of the 2019 Oscars.

The comedian/actor made this announcement on his Twitter page on Thursday night, December 6th.

In the tweet, he stated his reason saying, ''This is because I do not want to be a distraction on a night that should be celebrated by so many amazing talented artists,” Hart wrote.

Kevin Hart also included an apology to the LGBTQ community, after his past anti-gay comments resurfaced following Tuesday’s news that he would host next year.

“I sincerely apologize to the LGBTQ community for my insensitive words from my past.”

This shocking decision comes barely 48 hours after he was officially announced by The Academy as the host of the next edition of the glamorous film event with Kevin Hart taking to his social media pages to share his excitement stating that it was one he had long been waiting for.

In another video post on his Instagram page [kevinhart4real] earlier on Friday December 7th, Kevin Hart further shed light on the happenings that eventually led to his decision to pass on the opportunity to host the awards

“I just got a call from the Academy and that call basically said, ‘Kevin, apologize for your tweets of old or we’re going to have to move on and find another host.’

I’m talking about the tweets from 2009 and 2010,” the 39-year-old comedian said. “I chose to pass on the apology. The reason why I passed is because I’ve addressed this several times. This is not the first time this has come up. I’ve addressed it.

I’ve spoken on it. I’ve said where the rights and wrongs were. I’ve said who I am now versus who I was then. I’ve done it. I’m not going to continue to go back and tap into the days of old when I’ve moved on and I’m in a completely different place in my life,” he concluded.

Earlier in the week when the news floated that Kevin Hart will likely host the awards which is scheduled to hold on February 24, 2019, he was widely criticized by a section of the media who called him out for long record of making homophobic jokes and insults, and several of his jokes with homophobic slurs resurfacing on Twitter.

Kevin Hart then began to delete a number of his past tweets but his announcement comes as a suprise in many quarters. The Academy is yet to officially respond to his decision.