OSCARS 2024
What was the longest Oscars ceremony ever? How long did it last?
Award shows can often drag on too long for audiences in the room and at home... which Oscar ceremony was the longest?
The 74th Academy Awards, hosted by Whoopi Goldberg, takes the cake as the longest Oscar ceremony in the show’s history.
Follow the 2024 Oscars ceremony and the red carpet latest updates live online on As.com.
Everything you need to know about the 2024 Oscars
Taking place on 24 March 2002, the show lasted four hours and 23 minutes, all of which were broadcasted live on ABC.
The show was watched by 41.82 million viewers, three percent lower than the year prior. Overall, the 74th annual show received lower ratings than in the past, but it was not necessarily the length of the show that the audience took issue with.
What is the average length of the Oscar ceremony?
Most Oscar ceremonies last no longer than three-and-a half hours, meaning that the 2002 show was just over 40 minutes longer than the average.
Interestingly, the show’s content and length have extended over the years. The first ceremony held in 1929 only lasted 15 minutes.
How long has the ceremony been in recent years?
In 2023, the ceremony lasted three hours and 37 minutes, three minutes less than the year prior. TV ratings in the United States were significantly up, however, from 16.62 million to 18.75 million.
Jimmy Kimmel will host the show this year for the fourth time, after 2017, 2018 and 2023. His first two presenting appearances were the longest (three hours and 49 minutes, and three hours and 53 minutes), although he cut that down to three hours and 37 minutes last year.