Eddie Murphy Steps Down as Oscars Host

Eddie Murphy withdrew Wednesday as host of the 84th Academy Awards, a day after Brett Ratner came under fire for an anti-gay slur and withdrew as producer of the Feb. 26 telecast.

"I appreciate how Eddie feels about losing his creative partner, Brett Ratner, and we all wish him well," said Tom Sherak, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

A replacement host was not immediately named.

"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," Murphy said in a prepared statement released by the Academy.

"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," he said.

Ratner directed Murphy in Tower Heist. At a Friday night screening of the film at the ArcLight Cinemas in Hollywood, Ratner used an anti-gay slur during the question-and-answer period.

He issued an apology on Monday, saying "it was a dumb way to express myself," then resigned as producer of the Oscars telecast the following day.