Packed to the Rafters star *Hugh Sheridan *will host Australia's equivalent of the Oscars.

The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards will be held in Sydney on January 30 and Sheridan, right, said in a statement it was a gift to have the honour of presenting the awards.

"I acknowledge the bar set by former hosts of the AFI (Australian Film Institute) and AACTA Awards, including screen icons such as *Russell Crowe *, *Hugh Jackman *and *Geoffrey Rush *, and I am delighted to be involved with a new show format which I hope audiences find entertaining, as we celebrate Australian talent and screen excellence," he said.