OSCAR� COUNTDOWN 2006 CO-HOSTS ARE NAMED

Billy Bush, Chris Connelly, Cynthia Garrett and Vanessa Minnillo will co-host the Academy�s hour-long red carpet arrivals show, �Oscar Countdown 2006,� preceding the 78th Academy Awards� on SUNDAY, MARCH 5, on the ABC Television Network.

This is the seventh Oscar Night� association for Connelly, the third for Bush and the first for Garrett and Minnillo. Each correspondent will be trying to capture the thoughts, nervousness and excitement of the nominees as they proceed down the red carpet to what may be one of the most exciting nights of their lives.

Bush is co-anchor of �Access Hollywood.� He joined the program in December 2001 as the East Coast correspondent and became co-anchor in June of 2004.

Connelly is a correspondent for ESPN and a contributing correspondent for �20/20.� Prior to ESPN, he was an on-air correspondent and editorial director of MTV News.

Garrett was most recently seen as co-host of �Life & Style� and can be seen regularly on HBO. Prior to joining �Life & Style,� she spent four years with VH1, where she began her on-camera career.

Minnillo is a recent addition to the �Entertainment Tonight� family as a New York-based correspondent. She also serves as a co-host for MTV�s �Total Request Live� and has hosted several MTV specials.

The pre-show will be produced by Dennis Doty and executive-produced by Gil Cates. It will air at 4:00 p.m., PT/7:00 p.m., ET on the ABC Television Network, and will segue directly into the 78th Academy Awards presentation.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2005 will be presented on Sunday, March 5, 2006, at the Kodak Theatre at the Hollywood & Highland Center�, and televised live by the ABC Television Network beginning at 5:00 p.m., PT/8:00 p.m., ET.