The film world shifts its attention to London tonight for the 79th British Academy Film Awards, with Royal Festival Hall once again hosting one of the season’s biggest red‑carpet nights. Hosted by Alan Cumming, this year’s BAFTAs bring together U.K. talent and U.S. Oscar hopefuls, with nominees including Emma Stone, Jessie Buckley, Timothée Chalamet, Jacob Elordi and rising star Chase Infiniti.
The ceremony airs live in the U.K. on BBC One and streams on BBC iPlayer from 7 p.m. GMT, with a red‑carpet preshow running on BAFTA’s YouTube channel earlier in the afternoon.
For viewers in the U.S., the main show will air on tape delay on E! at 8 p.m. ET/PT, and can also be streamed via services that carry the channel or on BritBox, which is offering the ceremony live with a free trial window. Guides are already warning fans to watch out for spoilers on social media, since the awards are handed out in London hours before the delayed American broadcast.
@bafta ✨ TONIGHT ✨ Alan Cumming hosts the EE BAFTA Film Awards 2026. 📺 Tune in on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the UK and E! in the US.
♬ original sound - BAFTA
Internationally, the BAFTAs are being positioned as a key bellwether for the Oscars race, especially in categories like best film and best actor, where overlap between voting bodies is high.
Producers are also building in big‑night moments beyond the speeches. Jessie Ware will perform a Barbra Streisand song during the In Memoriam segment, while a live rendition of Golden from animated film KPop Demon Hunters—featuring Jae, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami—adds a pop performance beat to the show. Paddington Bear is set to make a special appearance as a presenter, bringing some levity between categories.
Between the couture, the performances and any late‑breaking narrative shifts for Oscar contenders, it’s one of the last major checkpoints before Hollywood’s biggest night. For a simple how‑to‑watch breakdown by region, you can head to this BAFTA viewing guide with all the broadcast and streaming details.
