Ellen 'thrilled' to Present the Oscars

First she was a hit TV comedy star and a nation watched on screen as she came out of the closet as a lesbian. Then she became one of the most popular chat show hosts. Now Ellen DeGeneres is to be next year's host of the Oscars.

As well as being a triumph for the star, the move is a shift for the Oscars too. For two years the awards have been hosted by controversial comedians Chris Rock and Jon Stewart. But DeGeneres, known in America simply as Ellen, is a safer pair of hands who is likely to ensure a funny but not insulting or political performance. She was delighted to be picked. 'It's my version of jumping out of a plane. It's dangerous and yet thrilling,' she said.

The awards ceremony is a huge platform in US entertainment. The show is broadcast in prime-time and watched by tens of millions of Americans.

DeGeneres will be only the second woman to host the event after Whoopi Goldberg presented it in 2002 - her fourth outing as hostess. DeGeneres was MC for the Emmies in 2001 and won praise for striking the right tone after the 11 September attacks. .

Both Rock and Stewart produced more edgy performances the past two years, throwing some barbed comic darts in the direction of Hollywood's movers and shakers. However, their performances drew mixed reviews from critics and audiences.