Will Oprah Winfrey Be The Next Oscars Host?

With her daytime talk show now over, could Oprah Winfrey’s next high-profile gig be hosting the Oscars?

According to Chicago Sun Times columnist Bill Zwecker, Motion Picture Academy sources told him that the TV queen has topped the list of candidates for the 2012 event.

Zwecker reported that the Academy’s top bosses think having Oprah as the host could help capture new viewers who are missing their daily dose of the media mogul now that she’s left the daily airwaves of syndicated television.

Additionally, there is reportedly also talk of a potential deal for a behind-the-scenes special, which could air on Oprah’s cable channel, the Oprah Winfrey Network.

AH Nation Poll: Would you like to see Oprah host the 2012 Oscars? Click HERE to vote!

As for the Academy, a rep for the organization told Access Hollywood on Friday there is nothing to comment on presently.

“Every year there’s great interest and excitement about who will host the Oscars. With that, various rumors begin to take on a life of their own,” the Academy’s statement to Access Hollywood read. “This is a wonderful example of just that, and at this point, there is nothing for us to comment on regarding who is or is not on the rumored Oscar host list.”

The 2011 Oscars, which aired on ABC, were hosted by Anne Hathaway and James Franco.