In tweets posted several years ago, Hart made several homophobic remarks that led to the controversy and withdrawal.

Actor and comedian Kevin Hart announced on Friday he would back out of hosting the Academy Awards after homophobic tweets he posted several years ago surfaced.

The Academy Awards, also known as the Oscars, are the world’s most important annual film awards.

Hart, who starred in Ride Along and Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, said he stepped down because he did not want to be a distraction during the event and he apologised to the LGBTQ community.

The 39-year old also said he had grown as a person since then and is now a different man.

I have made the choice to step down from hosting this year's Oscar's….this is because I do not wantthe host of the 2019 Oscars on Tuesday but after the tweets surfaced a campaign was started by LGBTQ groups for the Academy to rescind the invitation to host.

Oscars 2018: Hollywood’s major issues under spotlight

The comedian deleted some of the tweets, but refused to apologise, eventually leading to his stepping down as host.

#OscarsSoWhite

The Oscars have attracted stinging criticism in recent years over a lack of diversity among nominees and winners, with critics arguing that the awards do not reward the accomplishments of women and people of colour enough.

After that controversy, which took on the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite, the Academy pledged to double its membership of women and minorities by 2020.

Hart’s withdrawal is not the first time a Hollywood celebrity has had to step down over old tweets. Earlier this