BBC takes home 18 BAFTAs while Baby Reindeer, Mr Bates continue to shine
Blue Lights picked up the BAFTA for Best Drama Series
UK pubcaster the BBC dominated the BAFTA Television Awards with 18 wins out of a total of 27 categories across scripted drama, formats, factual, soaps, news and kids’ programming.
It picked up the coveted Best Drama Series gong for Northern Ireland-set police procedural Blue Lights, as well as both Leading Actor and Leading Actress honours for Lennie James (Mr Loverman) and Marisa Abela (Industry) respectively.
The BBC’s long-running soap EastEnders, this year celebrating its 40th anniversary, scooped the Soap & Continuing Drama award; while the Factual Entertainment category was won by Rob & Rylan’s Grand Tour.
This year’s BAFTAs was presented by actor Alan Cumming, who hosts Peacock’s US version of The Traitors, and was held at the Royal Albert Hall in London. The ceremony was broadcast on BBC One.
Netflix Baby Reindeer was named Best Limited Drama
Awards favourite Baby Reindeer, from streamer Netflix, took home Limited Drama and Supporting Actress (Jessica Gunning) honours to add to its already lengthy list of wins at previous industry events such as the Critics’ Choice TV Awards, the Golden Globes and the Primetime Emmys.
Disney+ notched up a victory in the International category with historical drama Shogun; while pay TV broadcaster Sky had success in the Children’s Non-Scripted (FYI Investigates: Disability and Me) and Male Performance in a Comedy (Danny Dyer for Mr Bigstuff) categories.
Channel 4 took home honours for Entertainment Performance (Joe Lycett, Late Night Lycett), Factual Series (To Catch a Copper), Reality (The Jury: Murder Trial) and Current Affairs (State of Rage), while fellow commercial broadcaster ITV celebrated Mr Bates vs the Post Office winning the Limited Drama gong.
The remaining categories were all claimed by the BBC, including Daytime (Clive Myrie’s Caribbean Adventure), Scripted Comedy (Alma’s Not Normal), Supporting Actor (Ariyon Bakare, Mr Loverman), Entertainment Programme (Would I Lie to You), Female Performance in a Comedy (Ruth Jones, Gavin & Stacey: The Finale) and Children’s Scripted (CBeebies as You Like It at Shakespeare’s Globe).
Also weighing down the broadcaster’s trophy cabinet are new awards for Live Event (Glastonbury 2024), Sports Coverage (Paris 2024 Olympics), News Coverage (BBC Breakfast Post Office Scandal), Shortform (Quiet Life), Specialist Factual (Atomic People), Single Documentary (Ukraine: Enemy in the Woods) and Memorable Moment (Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell’s waltz to You’ll Never Walk Alone in Strictly Come Dancing).
