By Neal Wallace

Billy Crystal will host next year's Academy Awards following yesterday's (November 10th) departure of Eddie Murphy.

This will be the tenth time the 63-year-old actor has hosted the ceremony, with the last of his previous nine appearances coming in 2004.

Actor and comedian Murphy pulled out of his hosting duties following the resignation of his friend Brett Ratner, who left his role as a producer of the show following media criticism after he used a gay slur during a Q&A session.

Crystal joked that he was presenting the ceremony "so that the young woman in my pharmacy will stop asking me my name when I pick up my prescriptions".

Tim Sherak, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, described the actor as a "legend and Oscar icon", adding that "it feels good to have him back where he belongs".

The Academy is due to give designer Saul Bass a special award on Monday (November 14th), celebrating his life in film and design.