For the first time in 30 years, the 2019 Oscars ceremony will be held without an official host after Kevin Hart’s withdrawal.

The head of ABC Entertainment, which airs the Academy Awards ceremony, said it would instead highlight celebrities presenting the trophies.

Reports had suggested the ABC Entertainment was struggling to fill the role – one of the toughest in US show business.

In December, Kevin Hart pulled out of hosting this year’s ceremony following a controversy over old homophobic tweets.

The comedian said he did not want to be a distraction and that he was “sorry he had hurt people”.

The Oscars host usually delivers an opening monologue as well as being responsible for many of the ceremony’s memorable comedic moments.

As well as the main host, the ceremony also usually enlists an array of movie stars to present the individual statuettes.

ABC Entertainment president Karey Burke said this year’s ceremony on February 24 in Los Angeles would “just have presenters host the Oscars”.

The decision was taken after Kevin Hart’s withdrawal, she said.

Karey Burke added that “the mystery” hanging about this year’s event “has been compelling”, proving that viewers were keen to watch it.

Oscars 2019: Full List of Nominations

Oscars 2019: Kevin Hart Steps Down from Hosting Ceremony Following Homophobic Tweets

A number of Academy Awards ceremonies have had no host. The last time, in 1989, proved highly controversial, not least due to an opening number featuring Rob Lowe and an actress dressed as Disney’s Snow White.

A group of leading Hollywood figures wrote an open letter after the ceremony, calling the telecast “an embarrassment to both the Academy and the entire motion picture industry”.

The Walt Disney Company also filed a legal action against the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, accusing the organization of copyright infringement.

The role of anchoring the Oscars has thrown up problems for a number of hosts since then. The Hollywood Reporter has described it as “the least wanted job in Hollywood”.

The controversy about Kevin Hart’s tweets and the choice not to replace him with a single host follows a difficult few years for the Academy.

The 2017 ceremony was rocked by the so-called “Envelopegate” scandal, in which La La Land was wrongly named best picture instead of the actual winner Moonlight.

Plans to introduce a popular film award category were shelved last year following widespread criticism.

The Academy has also been stung by the #OscarsSoWhite campaign, prompted by the all-white line-ups in the four categories for acting in 2015 and 2016.