Neil Patrick Harris has revealed he will have to think twice if he is offered the chance to host the Oscars again.

The former How I Met Your Mother star fronted this year’s ceremony for the first time, where his opening sequence saw him singing with Anna Kendrick and Jack Black.

He also stripped down to his briefs for a spoof of Birdman, which won best film.

(John Shearer/Invision/AP)
(John Shearer/Invision/AP)

Neil said he is unsure if he would do it for the second time.

“I don’t know that my family nor my soul could take it. It’s a beast,” he told the Huffington Post.

“It was fun to check off the list, but for the amount of time spent and the understandable opinionated response, I don’t know that it’s a delightful balance to do every year or even again.”

Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka
Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka on the Oscars red carpet (Ian West/PA)

Neil’s hosting stint received a mixed reaction, with some saying he was “awkward” at times. The star admitted working out his routine was hard work.

He explained: “It’s so difficult for one who’s simply watching the show to realise just how much time and concession and compromise and explanation has gone into almost every single thing. Every joke. Wording of joke. Placement of joke. Cancelling of joke. Embellishment for just one line.

“My job was to try and keep things as light and specific to this year’s set of films as possible. And if people are critical of that, it’s a big giant platform, so I would assume that they would be.”

(John Shearer/Invision/AP)
(John Shearer/Invision/AP)

But despite the criticism, Neil is “happy” with his performance.

“I was told that as the (audience) fills with, you know, it’s four-fifths of the room didn’t win, and you get further into the award-giving, they get less enthusiastic and less excited,” he said.

“And I felt while we were doing it that people were enjoying themselves more and more, so for that I’m happy.”