
Conan O’Brien Shares The 'Only Reason' He's Returning To Host The Oscars Next Year
HuffPost
This year was O’Brien’s first time leading the show.
Conan O’Brien is returning to the Oscars stage in 2026.
The late-night host and comedian will preside over the 98th Academy Awards, set for March 15, the film academy’s leadership said Monday.
“The only reason I’m hosting the Oscars next year is that I want to hear Adrien Brody finish his speech,” O’Brien said in a statement.
This year was O’Brien’s first time leading the show, which attracted its biggest broadcast audience in five years despite the winning movie, “Anora,” being relatively small.
An estimated 19.7 million viewers watched the 97th Academy Awards ceremony earlier this month, according to broadcaster ABC, with a big lift among people aged 18 to 49, driven by mobile and laptop watches from younger viewers. It was also the most watched prime-time entertainment show of 2025.