Networks set plans for Oscars, parade, “Sound of Music”

TV networks are wrapping up details for the Christmas season and beyond.
That includes an Oscar host, a “Sound of Music” (shown here) slot and Thanksgiving parade plans. Details include:
— Jimmy Kimmel will be back for his fourth time as Academy Awards host.
Kimmel hosted in 2017 and 2018, but that was followed by three no-host, little-fun years. The awards then had three hosts (Amy Schumer, Wanda Sykes and Regina Hall) in 2022 and Kimmel in 2023.
Now he’s back. “I always dreamed of hosting the Oscars exactly four times,” he claimed in a statement.
— “The Sound of Music” will have another Christmastime run. The movie will air Dec. 17, filling the one open slot in ABC’s “Wonderful World of Disney” line-up.
That slate already included the animated “Raya and the Last Dragon,” Nov. 19; a Christmas-music special (from Disney World and a Hawaiian resort), Nov. 26; “The Santa Clause,” Dec. 3; “Frozen,” Dec. 10; “Home Alone,” Dec. 24 and the annual New Year’s Eve party, Dec. 31. Now “Sound of Music” – a 1965 musical that won five Oscars, including best picture – fills the other spot.
— The two networks covering the Thanksgiving Day parade have set their plans for the early part of the morning, including one quirk: Keltie Knight, who hosts CBS’ coverage with Kevin Frazier, will also step in and star in a musical number.
Knight has been a professional dancer with the Rockettes, the New York Knicks cheerleaders and a wide range of music videos, but hasn’t been a musical star. Now she’ll have her moment as Roxie Hart, with the Broadway cast of “Chicago.” CBS will also have the casts of “Aladdin” and “A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical.”
Meanwhile, NBC will open a half-hour earlier than usual (at 8:30 a.m.), in order to include the casts of five Broadway musicals plus the Rockettes. It has “Spamalot,” “Shucked,” “& Juliet,” “How to Dance in Ohio” and “Back to the Future: The Musical.”
Also, Josh Gad and Andrew Rannells (formerly the “Book of Mormon” stars and now in “Guttenberg! The Musical!”) will be correspondents on the parade route. As usual, the “Today” people – Savannah Guthrie, Al Roker and Hoda Kotb – will be the hosts.