What time are the Oscars on TV? How to watch and who the presenters are
It is the biggest night of the year in Hollywood and the red carpet is about to be rolled out.
The Academy Awards are set to take place at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles today (March 15) after months of build up, speculation, twists and turns. Sinners goes into the night with the most nominations, while the race for best actor is well and truly on.
Film buffs will not want to miss out on all of the surprises and of course the speeches. Fortunately, viewers will be able to follow all of the action at home.
But when can you tune in and what time does it start? Here’s all you need to know:
How to watch the Oscars in 2026?
UK viewers will once again be able to watch the ceremony live and for free on ITV. It will also be streamed on ITVX, as well as broadcast on the main channel.
For those who can’t stay up and watch the coverage tonight (March 15), ITV will be broadcasting highlights on Monday (March 16) evening. Viewers can tune in from 10.45pm tomorrow, according to the current schedule.
Over in America, the ceremony will be broadcast on ABC and Hulu.
What time are the Oscars on TV?
For film buffs in the UK who want to tune in to see the ceremony tonight (March 15), the coverage on ITV is set to begin at 10.15pm UK time. The awards will get underway at 11pm for viewers on this side of the Atlantic.
The ceremony is set to start at 4pm local time in Los Angeles, but due to the clocks having changed in America - but not yet here in the UK - it means the ceremony starts a bit earlier than usual for British viewers.
Who are the presenters on ITV?
Celebrity Traitors star Jonathan Ross will be leading ITV’s coverage of the Oscar’s ceremony in 2026. He will be joined by a “stellar line-up”, the broadcaster has said.
The panel of film aficionados, including Elle Osili Wood, Samson Kayo and Fred Asquith will join Jonathan for the dedicated live show, offering unparalleled insight, commentary, and analysis of Hollywood's biggest night.
Elle Osili Wood is one of the most exciting and influential presenters in British television, described by BAFTA as “an industry go-to” for entertainment’s most high-profile shows and events.
An award-winning broadcaster, Elle’s vibrant on-screen presence has seen her front a wide range of television and radio for ITV and the BBC, covering everything from the Oscars to the Royal Coronation.
Samson Kayo is a BAFTA nominated actor & writer. He can be seen in Taika Waititi’s comedy Our Flag Means Death. He is also the voice of ‘Baby Bear’ in family film Puss In Boots: The Last Wish alongside Antonio Banderas.
His screen credits include roles in Kristen Scott Thomas’ film North Star, The Bubble (Netflix), Truth Seekers (Amazon Prime), Death to 2021 and Death to 2020 (Netflix), two series of Sliced for Dave (which Samson also co-created and wrote), Bloods for Sky 1 (which Samson also co-created), Timewasters (ITV2), multiple roles in hit sketch show Famalam (BBC Three), for which he was nominated for a BAFTA Award for Best Male Performance in a Comedy Programme and two Royal Television Society Awards.
Fred Asquith is a Yorkshireman bringing belly laughs to the big smoke, and to more than 1.7M loyal followers across Instagram and TikTok. While fans know him for turning everyday chaos into comedy gold, there’s another string to Fred’s bow: film.
A die-hard movie buff, he channeled his passion into Fred Asquith On Film and carved out a reputation on the red carpet, where his quick wit, warmth and razor-sharp prep make him a natural at movie junkets. In Fred’s world, no topic is off-limits, and no moment is too mundane to turn into a viral hit.
In addition to the expert panel discussion, the electrifying broadcast will feature live updates from the heart of the action. Ross King and Angelique Jackson will be reporting directly from the Oscars red carpet at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood, capturing all the pre-show buzz and interviewing the stars before the main awards ceremony begins.