Eddie Murphy resigned as host of 2012 Academy Awards. Brian Grazer to be the next producer.

Eddie Murphy resigned from his role as host of 2012 Academy Awards yesterday as the heavyweight producer Brian Grazer has been drafted in to produce next year’s Oscars.

Brian Grazer, the man behind Apollo 13 and A Beautiful Mind has stepped into Brett Ratner’s shoes after his resignation.

The Academy Awards president Tom Sherak announced the news yesterday:

“Brian Grazer is a renowned filmmaker who over the past 25 years has produced a diverse and extraordinary body of work. He will certainly bring his tremendous talent, creativity and relationships to the Oscars.”

Brian Grazer has scooped his own Oscar and in 2002 he won Best Picture for A Beautiful Mind.

Brett Ratner handed in his resignation from the event on Tuesday after apologizing for a gay slur he used during a screening of his latest film.

Eddie Murphy and Brett Ratner were set to work together on the February 26 ,2102, TV broadcast of the Oscars after working together on the recent action movie Tower Heist.

Curiously Brian Grazer was listed as a Producer on Tower Heist.

Brett Ratner stepped down two days ago after sparking outrage by using a gay slur at a screening his new action comedy.

A replacement host was not immediately named.

Academy president Tom Sherak said yesterday: “I appreciate how Eddie feels about losing his creative partner, Brett Ratner, and we all wish him well.”

In the joint statement, Eddie Murphy added: “First and foremost I want to say that I completely understand and support each party’s decision with regard to a change of producers for this year’s Academy Awards ceremony.

“I was truly looking forward to being a part of the show that our production team and writers were just starting to develop, but I’m sure that the new production team and host will do an equally great job.”

Tom Sherak said Brett Ratner “did the right thing for the Academy and for himself”.

“Brett is a good person, but his comments were unacceptable.”

Brett Ratner was named Oscar producer in August along with TV veteran Don Mischer.

He issued an open letter explaining his resignation.

The letter read: “I called [the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences president] Tom Sherak this morning and resigned as a producer of the 84th Academy Awards telecast.

“Being asked to help put on the Oscar show was the proudest moment of my career.

“But as painful as this may be for me, it would be worse if my association with the show were to be a distraction from the Academy and the high ideals it represents.”

Brett Ratner also apologized for using a gay slur during a question-and-answer session at a screening for his new film Tower Heist.

He used a pejorative term to describe gay men in response to a question asked at a screening of his latest movie.