Oscars 2021: April ceremony to be held live from a number of locations

The delayed Academy Awards have confirmed this year's show will go ahead in person

  Best Actor Joaquin Phoenix, Best Actress Renee Zellweger and Best Supporting Actor Brad Pitt at the 2020 Oscars. EPA

The Academy Awards ceremony will be an in-person event that will air live from multiple locations in April, organisers have confirmed.

A spokesperson for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said in a statement on Wednesday that despite the coronavirus pandemic – which has wreaked havoc on the entertainment industry – the group was "determined to present an Oscars like none other, while prioritising the public health and safety of all those who will participate".

"To create the in-person show our global audience wants to see, while adapting to the requirements of the pandemic, the ceremony will broadcast live from multiple locations, including the landmark Dolby Theatre."

The Dolby Theatre in Hollywood has been the venue for the Oscars for a number of years. Normally, hundreds of the world's top film stars would gather in the 3,400-seat theatre for a live show preceded by a red carpet packed with photographers and camera crews.

Wednesday's statement said more details would be forthcoming. No host has been announced.

California on Tuesday surpassed New York as the US state with the most coronavirus deaths and the Los Angeles area has been particularly hard hit.

The Academy rescheduled the 2021 Oscar ceremony, the highest awards in the film industry, from Sunday, February 28 to Sunday, April 25 because of the pandemic.

Other awards shows in recent months have replaced the usual gatherings at gala dinners and on stage with pre-recorded appearances or virtual events.

The Grammy Awards in January postponed its ceremony to March just three weeks before the scheduled date after talks with health experts and musicians.

The delayed Golden Globes ceremony for film and television will take part in both Los Angeles and New York on Sunday, February 28, with nominees taking part from locations around the world, organisers said last week.

Nominations for the 2021 Oscars will be announced on Monday, March 15.