How to watch the Oscars 2025 in the UK? Everything you need to know ahead of the ceremony
It's almost time to crown a new Best Picture winner.
The Oscars nominations are imminent – which means the countdown to Hollywood's most glittering night can finally properly get underway.
Films including The Brutalist, Anora, Conclave and Emilia Pérez will all be competing for the industry's most coveted awards in early March, as they look to follow Oppenheimer in being crowned Best Picture – and it certainly looks like a more hotly contested race than last year.
There had earlier been some rumblings in the press that this year's event could be called off – or at least postponed – due to the tragic impact of the LA fires, but The Hollywood Reporter firmly debunked the possibility of outright cancellation soon after those reports emerged.
Instead, it's been revealed that the ceremony will "honour Los Angeles as the city of dreams" and "reflect on the recent events while highlighting the strength, creativity and optimism that defines Los Angeles and our industry," as reported by Deadline.
Of course, despite the time difference between here and California, many film fans in the UK make a habit of staying up late to watch the ceremony so they can see all the big moments – and unexpected gaffes – unfold live, and you might be wondering how you can do that this year.
So when is the ceremony actually taking place? And how can you watch it in the UK? Read on for everything you need to know.
When are the Oscars 2025?
The Oscars are scheduled to take place on Sunday 2nd March 2025 at their usual home in Hollywood's Dolby Theatre, where they have been held since 2001 (with the exception of 2021, when the ceremony was significantly downsized due to the pandemic).
The three-hour ceremony will begin at 4pm PST – which translates to midnight for UK viewers.
As ever, film fans on this side of the Atlantic will therefore have to prepare for a very late night if they plan to watch the ceremony live.
The delayed nominations announcement will now take place on Thursday 23rd January, with the week-long final voting period for Academy members lasting from Tuesday 11th February to 18th February.
- Download the Radio Times app for more Oscars 2025 coverage – including interviews with the stars and exclusive features.
How to watch the Oscars 2025 in the UK
For the second year in a row, the ceremony will be shown in full by ITV – so it couldn't be easier for UK fans to watch it (if you can get past the late night, that is.)
There will be free-to-air coverage across both ITV1 and ITVX – including red carpet footage and analysis from a host of celebrity guests and film experts, while Jonathan Ross is returning to front the programme.
Who is hosting the Oscars 2025?
It was revealed back in November 2024 that the ceremony would this year be presided over by comedian and legendary talk show host Conan O'Brien – his first time as presenter.
Announcing the news, Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy president Janet Yang said they were "thrilled and honoured" that the "incomparable" O'Brien would be taking on the gig.
They added: "He is the perfect person to help lead our global celebration of film with his brilliant humour, his love of movies, and his live TV expertise.
"His remarkable ability to connect with audiences will bring viewers together to do what the Oscars do best – honour the spectacular films and filmmakers of this year."
O'Brien takes over from Jimmy Kimmel, who has hosted the last two ceremonies but reportedly turned down the chance to return for his third consecutive year (and his fifth time in total.)
Meanwhile, according to Variety, popular comedian John Mulaney – who struck a chord with viewers during a hilarious skit at last year's event – also passed on the chance to host.
As ever, the ceremony will see a bunch of A-listers, including numerous previous winners, presenting awards over the course of the night – although at this stage it remains to be seen exactly which big names will be called upon this time.
Which musical acts will perform at the Oscars 2025?
In January, the Academy announced the surprise news that they'd be breaking from tradition when it came to the ceremony's musical performances: unlike previous years, there would not be a live version of each of the numbers nominated in the Best Original Song category.
According to Variety, the ceremony will instead "spotlight the songwriters through personal reflections and behind-the-scenes insights from the creative teams behind the music".
We can most likely still expect musical performances of some sort, but it remains to be seen exactly what form those will take. Watch this space!
Save up to 30% on the latest releases at Vue in 2025
Are you a movie lover who always wants to be up to date with the latest releases? Then you're in luck, as RadioTimes.com readers can enjoy new films at Vue for less.
Customers will receive up to 30% off films with Vue Pass, as long as they have a RadioTimes.com account.
It's a great time for new releases, with films such as Wicked, Nosferatu, The Brutalist and Moana 2 taking UK cinemas by storm.
Head to your nearest Vue to catch these movies and more for up to 30% less if you're signed up as a RadioTimes.com member.
The Academy Awards are scheduled for Sunday 2nd March 2025.
Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Authors
Patrick Cremona is the Senior Film Writer at Radio Times, and looks after all the latest film releases both in cinemas and on streaming. He has been with the website since October 2019, and in that time has interviewed a host of big name stars and reviewed a diverse range of movies.
