Kevin Hart steps down from Oscars gig over previous homophobic slurs

Comedian Kevin Hart announced on Thursday that he had decided to step down as host of the Oscars after he was asked to apologise for old homophobic tweets that had resurfaced. 

Kevin made the surprising announcement on social media, which came just hours after he was selected to host the prestigious ceremony. 

On Wednesday, Kevin described the opportunity as a dream come true but it was short lived. 

The homophobic jokes, which were made in 2009 and 2010 has been a cloud over Kevin's head for years especially because his initial apology was deemed as a "non-apology."

His apology at the time included statements such as "stop looking for reasons to be negative" and "stop searching for reasons to be angry.” 

In a video shared on Instagram, Kevin explained that he had received an ultimatum from the Oscars Academy to either apologise for his old homophobic slurs or lose the gig.

"I just got a call from the Academy and that call basically said, ‘Kevin, apologise for your tweets of old or we’re going to have to move on and find another host.’ I’m talking about the tweets from 2009 and 2010. I chose to pass on the apology," the 39-year-old comedian said. 

Kevin added that he chose to step down as the host because he didn't want the situation to overshadow the celebration of artists. 

"I have made the choice to step down from hosting this year's Oscars....this is because I do not want to be a distraction on a night that should be celebrated by so many amazing talented artists. I sincerely apologize to the LGBTQ community for my insensitive words from my past."

Here's the video.