Oscars are a real turn-off

Organisers of the Oscars may have decided the show must go on, but TV viewers had other ideas.

The ceremony proved to be the least watched in the event's 75-year history.

Figures showed 25.4million Americans tuned into the televised event, down from 29.1million last year - already a record low.

The Hollywood ceremony was toned down because of the Iraqi conflict.

Red carpet entrances were scaled back while security was beefed up.

Several winners, including Michael Moore, who scooped best documentary for Bowling for Columbine, used their speeches to voice their views on the war.

Moore was booed when he said: 'We have fictitious election results that elect a fictitious president. We live in a time where we have a man sending us to war for fictitious reasons.'

Nicole Kidman, 35, was named best actress for her role as Virginia Woolf in The Hours. The Australian cried in her acceptance speech and revealed: 'Russell Crowe said, "Don't cry if you get up there". And now I'm crying. Sorry.'

A heavily pregnant Catherine Zeta Jones, expecting her second child in two weeks, took the Oscar for best supporting actress for her all-singing, all-dancing role in Chicago.

The musical won six awards, including best film. It was the first musical to win the category since Oliver! in 1968.

Roman Polanski was the surprise winner of the best director award for The Pianist, while his lead actor Adrien Brody, 29, became the youngest ever winner of the best actor award.

Exalted by his win, Brody bounded on the stage and embraced presenter Halle Berry before giving her a kiss.