How to watch the Oscars 2026 live in the UK – and the earlier time it starts

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The Oscars are back! Here’s everything you need to know about the 98th Academy Awards, including the start time – it’s earlier this year – and how to watch the show live.

Conan O’Brien will return as host for the second year in a row, leading the celebration of 2025’s biggest films from Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre. The event will highlight movies like One Battle After Another, Sinners, Hamnet, and Marty Supreme.

Viewers in the UK can watch the awards show live and for free for the third consecutive year. All the excitement and spectacle will be broadcast on ITV1, ITVX, STV, and the STV Player.

You can watch the 2026 Oscars live and for free in the UK on ITV1 and ITVX. It will also be available on STV and the STV Player.

You can also find a selection of films connected to the Oscars, plus highlights from past ceremonies, on ITVX.

If you can’t watch the Oscars live, you can catch the best moments on ITV1 with a highlights show at 10:45 PM on Monday, March 16th. It will probably also be available on ITVX, but likely not until after it airs on Monday night.

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ITVX will have a special, around-the-clock Oscars channel, showing a collection of films that have won or been nominated for Oscars. You can enjoy past winners and popular nominees like La La Land, Parasite, and classic movies such as Black Narcissus and Bugsy Malone.

In the United States, you can watch the ceremony on ABC and, for the first time, on Hulu. However, it won’t be available on Hulu in the UK.

What time does the Oscars start in the UK?

The Oscars will begin at 7pm Eastern Time (4pm Pacific Time) in the US. For viewers in the UK, the ceremony will air on ITV on Sunday, March 15th, starting at 11pm.

It’s a bit earlier than normal because of Daylight Saving Time starting this past weekend in the US. While this usually doesn’t change when the Oscars happen, the ceremony is later than usual this year.

Live coverage begins on ITV at 10:15pm, with Jonathan Ross hosting and a panel featuring Elle Osili Wood, Samson Kayo, and Fred Asquith.

Before the Oscars begin at 11pm, you can watch a live stream of the red carpet on ITV1 and ITVX. Ross King and Angelique Jackson will be there interviewing the stars as they arrive.

Oscars 2026 nominations

The nominations for the 2026 Oscars were revealed in January, showcasing the year’s biggest films and stars. They’re competing in categories like Best Picture, Lead Actor, Lead Actress, and Best Director. The film Sinners received an impressive 16 nominations, breaking the previous record.

Following closely behind with 13 nominations is One Battle After Another. Marty Supreme, Sentimental, and Frankenstein each earned nine nominations.

This year, a new Casting category will make its debut at the awards ceremony. Five films will compete for this first-ever Oscar, recognizing outstanding work in casting.

The event will feature a host of stars, including past winners and well-known figures like Adrien Brody, Javier Bardem, Kieran Culkin, Chris Evans, Chase Infiniti, Mikey Madison, Demi Moore, Kumail Nanjiani, Maya Rudolph, Zoe Saldana, Will Arnett, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Robert Downey Jr, Anne Hathaway, Paul Mescal, Gwyneth Paltrow, and many others.

This year’s Oscars ceremony will highlight the music from recent films, especially the soundtracks of Sinners and KPop Demon Hunters. EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami – the singers who perform as HUNTR/X – will take the stage to perform ‘Golden,’ their Oscar-nominated song from the popular Netflix film.

During the performance of Sinners, Miles Caton and Raphael Saadiq will play their Oscar-nominated song ‘I Lied To You’, along with other musical pieces, aiming to recreate the film’s dramatic and visual style on stage.

The 98th Oscars will air exclusively on ITV1 and ITVX in the UK on Sunday 15 March.

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2026-03-13 10:22