ITV viewers were left fuming on Sunday night after technical problems made the 2026 Oscars broadcast almost impossible to watch in the UK.
The 98th Academy Awards returned to the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, bringing together Hollywood’s biggest stars for the film industry’s most glamorous night. In the UK, the ceremony was broadcast on ITV with Jonathan Ross hosting the coverage alongside presenter Elle Osili-Wood, actor Samson Kayo and comedian Fred Asquith.
But excitement quickly turned to frustration when the show was disrupted by severe sound problems just minutes after it began.
Viewers flooded social media with complaints, saying the audio was plagued by strange noises and poor quality that ruined the viewing experience.
One annoyed fan pleaded online: “Pleeeeease sort out the sound for the Oscars coverage – it’s basically unwatchable!!!”
Another wrote: “Thought it was only me. It’s awful.”
Others described hearing constant squeaks and interference, with one viewer joking that the audio sounded as though it had been “strained through a thick sock.” Another added: “There’s a technical issue with the sound @ITV for the Oscars – a horrid bleeping noise.”
Despite the chaotic start, the technical issue was reportedly fixed not long after the ceremony began, allowing viewers to continue watching the rest of the show without further disruption.
The Daily Mail has contacted ITV for comment.
Meanwhile, comedian Conan O’Brien returned to host the Academy Awards for the second year in a row after taking over the role from Jimmy Kimmel.
This year’s nominations were dominated by Ryan Coogler’s horror epic Sinners, which made history with 16 nominations — the most ever received by a film at the Oscars.
The movie is one of ten contenders for Best Picture alongside Bugonia, F1, Frankenstein, Hamnet, Marty Supreme, One Battle After Another, The Secret Agent, Sentimental Value and Train Dreams.
Michael B. Jordan, who plays twin brothers confronting a supernatural evil in 1930s Mississippi in Sinners, is nominated for Best Actor. He faces tough competition from Timothée Chalamet for Marty Supreme, Leonardo DiCaprio for One Battle After Another, Ethan Hawke for Blue Moon and Wagner Moura for The Secret Agent.
In the Best Actress race, Irish star Jessie Buckley is considered the frontrunner for her performance in Hamnet. Her rivals include Rose Byrne for If I Had Legs I Would Kick You, Kate Hudson for Song Sung Blue, Renate Reinsve for Sentimental Value and Emma Stone for Bugonia.
Elsewhere, Paul Thomas Anderson’s black comedy action-thriller One Battle After Another picked up 13 nominations, including Best Director for Anderson and acting nods for Leonardo DiCaprio and supporting actors Benicio del Toro and Sean Penn.
