ITV CONFIRMS OSCARS PANEL JOINING JONATHAN ROSS FOR THIS WEEKEND'S AWARDS CEREMONY

ITV and ITVX today confirm the stellar line-up set to join Jonathan Ross, bringing all the glamour and excitement from the 98th Oscars® ceremony straight to UK screens.

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 at 11pm.

In the lead up to the big night, viewers can also immerse themselves in a range of extra exclusive content on ITVX, including a dedicated Oscars page, Oscar®-winning film collections, stand-out moments from past Oscars ceremonies including highlights and clips.

A dedicated "Oscars® 24/7 Channel" will also feature Oscar-recognized films celebrating the finest past winners and nominees, including modern hits La La Land and Parasite, and celebrated classics Black Narcissus and Bugsy Malone.

Exclusive coverage of the 98th Oscars® is a MultiStory Media production for ITV1 and ITVX. The series producer is Ashley Jenkin and the executive producer is Sue Walton.