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He's back! Chris Rock confirmed as Oscars 2016 host... 11 years after his first turn

Published: 10:26 EST, 21 October 2015 | Updated: 14:38 EST, 21 October 2015

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Chris Rock has been confirmed as the host of the 2016 Oscars.

The 50-year-old actor and comedian will return as master of ceremonies for The 88th Academy Awards - 11 years after he first presided over the ceremony to mixed reviews.

The ceremony will be held on Sunday 28 February at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood and comes as the pinnacle event of awards season.

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'It's great to be back': Comedian Chris Rock, seen here in January in New York, has been confirmed as the host of the 2016 Oscars

Producers David Hill and Reginald Hudlin confirmed Rock's hosting gig in a joint statement on Wednesday.

It read: 'Chris Rock is truly the MVP of the entertainment industry. Comedian, actor, writer, producer, director, documentarian – he’s done it all. He’s going to be a phenomenal Oscar host!'

Saturday Night Live star Rock added: 'I'm so glad to be hosting the Oscars. It's great to be back.'

The stand-up comedian has also worked with the new Oscar co-producer, Hudlin, who directed the pilot of the Rock’s TV series Everybody Hates Chris.

Revealed: The Academy broke the news on Twitter on Wednesday

Hudlin and David Hill were announced in September as producers of next year’s ceremony.

Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, who have co-hosted the Golden Globes to raves, had also been considered candidates for the Oscar hosting job.

Rock is best known for his profanity laced stand-up routines. He also has been in several TV shows, including Empire, Louie and The Bernie Mac Show.

First turn: Rock first hosted the Oscars in 2005, to mixed reviews

His hit movies include Head Of State, Madagascar, Grown Ups, and What To Expect When You're Expecting.

Last year How I Met Your Mother actor Neil Patrick Harris bombed when he hosted the show. Ratings nosedived by 16% for the 2015 telecast.

Since Chris last hosted the Oscars, there have been many A listers that have tried the job.

Ellen DeGeneres hosted twice (in 2007 and 2014), as did Jon Stewart (in 2006 and 2008).

Done it all: The newly named producers also tweeted their appraisal of Rock's capabilities

Hugh Jackman took the Oscar stage in 2009, Steve Martin with Alec Baldwin were a team in 2010, James Franco and Anne Hathaway didn't click in 2011, Billy Crystal took the reins in 2012, Seth MacFarlane floundered in 2013 and Harris hit a low note in 2015.

The gig has long been considered a poisoned chalice, with hosts rarely achieving across-the-board praise.

Back in 2005, Rock predictably opened the show by taking potshots at the talent - some of whom took more personally than others.

He sure knows how to work a stage: The 50-year-old star on SNL's 40th anniversary show in February

In his opening monologue, he abused film-makers for casting 'second-rate' performers in their rush to get films into theatres.

'Clint Eastwood’s a star, okay? Tobey Maguire’s just a boy in tights,' he joked.

'You want Tom Cruise and all you can get is Jude Law? Wait. You want Russell Crowe and all you can get is Colin Farrell?' he continued, before turning the gun on himself

'You want Denzel [Washington] and all you can get is me? Wait,' he joked. 'Denzel’s a fine actor. He woulda never made Pootie Tang.'

But it was Law who took the lion's share of stick.

Tiff: Rock went particularly hard on Jude Law, which even prompted Sean Penn to defend him during his presentation

Had a great fall: However the host later jibed that Penn was only backing Law because they were working on a film together at the time, 2006's All The King's men

'Even the movie he's not acting in, if you look at the credits he made cupcakes or something. He's gay, he's straight, he's American, he's British . . . If you can't get a star, wait.'

Reports at the time claim Law was offended by the jibe, and even fired his agent shortly afterward.

During the ceremony, Sean Penn defended Law as 'one of our finest actors', but Rock later fired back that he had to say that because they were working on a movie together.#

The Aviator was took home the most trophies that year with five, but Million Dollar Baby's four covered most of the big gongs, including Best Picture, Best Director for Clint Eastwood, Best Actress for Hillary Swank and Best Supporting Actor for Morgan Freeman.