85th Academy Awards to broadcast live in UK on dedicated Sky Movies Oscars HD channel

Sky has announced that it will be showing the 85th Annual Academy Awards live on Sunday 24 February on its own dedicated channel for the very first time. Called Sky Movies Oscars HD (a standard definition version is also available), the channel will broadcast the ceremony live from the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, which will be preceded by its own live build-up show.

The homegrown programme, The Oscars 2013: Red Carpet Live, will also air on Sky Living HD (and SD version). It will start at 11.30pm on the Sunday, to be followed immediately by the Awards, which will run from 1.30am to 4am on Monday 25 February. The cemerony itself will only be shown on Sky Movies Oscars.

As well as the event, the new channel will also be screening 10 of 2012's Oscar-winning films. It starts on 11 February and will be part of a Sky Movies subscription.

"Sky Movies is thrilled once more to give our customers an exclusive front row seat to the Oscars, as well as the chance to enjoy a fantastic selection of the Academy's most celebrated movies all in one place on Sky Movies Oscars," said director of Sky Movies Ian Lewis.

The Oscars this year will be presented by creator of The Family Guy and star and director of Ted Seth MacFarlane. A performance of the Skyfall theme song by Adele has also been confirmed - it is nominated for Best Original Song - and the ceremony will celebrate the 50th anniversary of Bond with a tribute.

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