Jonathan Ross is gearing up to host ITV’s coverage of the Oscars for the second year in a row and has shared his predictions for the winners of the prestigious awards
Jonathan Ross is set to host Oscars Live on ITV once again, and he’s ready to celebrate with some Wensleydale cheese if Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl scoops up the award.
The Aardman Animations’ latest adventure, which debuted on BBC One this past Christmas, has snagged a nomination for Best Animated Feature Film at the Oscars 2025, and Jonathan Ross couldn’t be more ecstatic.
“I’m so excited and pleased to see Wallace & Gromit get nominated because those films are masterpieces,” gushed the 64-year-old ITV presenter, though he’s keeping his expectations in check given the stiff competition.
He pointed out the unfortunate timing for the beloved claymation duo, as they’re up against another heavyweight: “It’s just unfortunate for them that they’re in a year where there’s another animated film, which is as good if not better than any other one made, which is Inside Out 2.”
Pixar’s sequel to its hit emotional rollercoaster has raked in a whopping £1.3 billion ($1.7 billion) globally, positioning it as a frontrunner for the accolade. Jonathan praised the film, saying, “It has amazing scripting, amazing emotional connection.”
But he still holds a soft spot for Aardman’s nomination: “So I suspect that’s going to be the win on the night, but it’s so heartening to see an Aardman getting nominated.”
The Aardman animation, the sixth instalment in the Wallace and Gromit saga, isn’t the UK’s sole contender for Oscar glory: Cynthia Erivo has clinched a Best Actress nod for her performance in Wicked; Ralph Fiennes is vying for Best Actor with Conclave; Felicity Jones is in the running for Best Supporting Actress thanks to The Brutalist; Sir Elton John’s tune Never Too Late is gunning for Best Original Song; and British-Indian director Sandhya Suri’s Santosh is battling it out for International Feature Film.
Earlier this month, Wallace and Gromit masterminds Merlin Crossingham and Nick Park bagged a duo of BAFTAs for their latest masterpiece, scooping up Best Animated Film and Best Children’s and Family Film. But can they replicate this triumph at the Oscars?
Meanwhile, Jonathan Ross is back to host ITV’s Oscars broadcast on March 2, with Conan O’Brien making his debut as the Oscars host stateside.
Ross has faith in Conan’s ability to shine. “He’ll be great,” he insists. “His humour is funny and he’s evolved.” However, he cautions the American talk show legend against mimicking David Letterman’s approach, which faced harsh criticism post-Oscars in 1995.
“It didn’t go down that well with the crowd because he took his late night persona onto the show and it wasn’t a comfortable fit,” Jonathan reflects. “Whereas Conan is much more adept at adapting.”
Jonathan is gearing up for an electrifying evening, teasing enormously captivating content. “We’re going to provide really entertaining and engaging packages about each movie so that you’re aware of the film, its talking points and aware of what we think of the film, as well as what you might think at home,” he hinted with palpable excitement.
“Hopefully it will feel more like an accessible and fun event than last year, though last year was fun.” While his hosting duties kick off at 10.30pm, the true glitz begins at midnight when Ross King reports live from the red carpet, a segment Jonathan can’t wait to see. .
The star-studded arrivals are something he looks forward to, adding: “I’m excited as well that ITV are giving everyone more chances to see the red carpet action, because we all love seeing people arrive,” noting “it will feel like even more of a big, fun showbiz event than last year.”
On the Oscars’ ultimate accolade, Best Picture, Jonathan’s bets are on Brady Corbet’s ‘The Brutalist’ and Emilia Perez. Expressing his personal preference, he remarked: “I hope it goes to The Brutalist,”.
Despite the Oscars falling late this year due to Los Angeles being scarred by wildfires affecting 14,000 homes, Jonathan isn’t letting it dim the spotlight on Hollywood’s crowning evening.
Curious about the show’s handling of recent adversities he said: “It’ll be fascinating to see how they deal with California’s recent problems,” but for him, the spectacle reigns supreme: “I’m sure there’ll be mentions. But really, I’m there to watch the show as much as anyone else is. The show is the main attraction.”