After Brett Ratner gave up his gig as the producer of the 2012 Oscars, host Eddie Murphy decided to quit too.

“First and foremost I want to say that I completely understand and support each party’s decision with regard to a change of producers for this year’s Academy Awards ceremony,” Murphy said in statement released by the Academy today. “I was truly looking forward to being a part of the show that our production team and writers were just starting to develop, but I’m sure that the new production team and host will do an equally great job.”

“I appreciate how Eddie feels about losing his creative partner, Brett Ratner, and we all wish him well,” Academy president Tom Sherak said.

Ratner, who directed Murphy in “Tower Heist,” resigned from the Oscars on Tuesday after coming under fire for using an anti-gay slur at at “Tower Heist” screening.