British film fans tuning into the 98th Academy Awards on Sunday, March 15, 2026, were met with a frustrating technical glitch. During host Conan O’Brien’s opening monologue at the Dolby Theatre, a loud and persistent beeping noise interrupted the live broadcast on ITV1 and ITVX. The sound obscured several of O’Brien’s jokes, leaving viewers in the United Kingdom venting their frustration on social media platforms like X.

The interference appeared to be localized to the ITV feed, as the ABC broadcast in the United States remained unaffected. According to reports from the Express and the Daily Star, the rhythmic beeping lasted for the duration of the host's high-energy introduction. Fans complained that the audio issues made it nearly impossible to follow the comedy segment that traditionally sets the tone for Hollywood’s biggest night.

Fortunately, ITV technicians resolved the issue before the first trophy of the evening was handed out. The audio returned to normal just as the presenters for the night's opening category took the stage. While the broadcaster has not yet provided a specific reason for the malfunction, the rest of the 2026 ceremony proceeded without further audio disruptions for British viewers.