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UK viewers didn't waste any time turning onITV's Oscars coverage - and many switched off just as fast, blasting the broadcast within minutes as "apocalyptically awful." Furious fans flooded X with complaints about the channel's panel even before the ceremony itself got underway. One viewer raged: "Once again I beg you get a different panel and a better set up next time ITV!" Another fumed: "Pleaseeee can the uk get somewhere other than itv to host the Oscars because why are they playing the opening of La La land in 1.5x speed."

Veteran host Jonathan Ross returned to front the coverage for a third year, joined by presenter Elle Osili-Wood, Bafta-nominated actor Samson Kayo and comedian Fred Asquith - but the line-up failed to impress many watching at home. "apparently there's 40 minutes of Jonathan ross before the oscars actually start... @ITV ur s**t!" one user wrote, while another added: "I already fear the ITV broadcast of The Oscars and it's only been 5 minutes.#TheOscars".

Hollywood's biggest night - held Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Ovation Hollywood - sees Conan O'Brien host the 98th Academy Awards, celebrating films across 24 categories including the new Best Casting award.

Elsewhere, ITV viewers were left tearing their hair out after a major technical glitch derailed the opening minutes of the broadcast.

The ceremony began with a slick pre-recorded comedy segment showing host O'Brien inside a make-up trailer before being digitally inserted into some of the year's biggest films - accidentally crashing Brad Pitt's Formula 1 blockbuster, beating Timothée Chalamet's table-tennis prodigy in Marty Supreme and interrupting the emotional climax of Hamnet while fleeing a swarm of killer children.

But the elaborate gag was overshadowed when a loud, persistent beeping noise suddenly cut through the audio as Conan appeared in a scene from Sentimental Value.

The sound drowned out his dialogue and continued for the remainder of the segment - and to viewers' disbelief, it did not disappear when Conan stepped on stage to deliver his opening monologue, leaving much of his first jokes barely audible.

Angry viewers immediately took to X to vent their frustration at ITV's coverage. One posted: "what in the beep is going on at the #ITV #Oscars live stream." Another demanded: "can itv fix the sound wtf #oscars."

Leading the race is genre-bending blockbuster Sinners, which stormed into the night with a record-breaking 16 nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actor for Michael B. Jordan and Best Director for Ryan Coogler.

Close behind is Paul Thomas Anderson's One Battle After Another with 13 nods, while Sentimental Value - starring Renate Reinsve - and Timothée Chalamet's Marty Supreme have nine apiece.

The ceremony could also rewrite the history books. If Sinners wins at least 12 awards, it would become the most decorated film in Oscars history.

Cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw is poised to become the first woman and first Black winner in her category, while Coogler could make history as the first Black filmmaker to take Best Director.