TV industry in turmoil, says Floella Benjamin, as Bafta hands out the gongs | Baftas

The tv trade is “in turmoil” and desires “inventive survival options” from the UK authorities, the kids’s tv presenter Floella Benjamin has mentioned, as she accepted her Bafta fellowship on Sunday.

Woman Benjamin, greatest often known as presenter of kids’s programmes resembling Play Faculty, was praised in a video recording by Prince William on the Bafta Tv Awards for being “an unwavering champion of inclusion” and for her energy to “remind us of the facility of empathy”.

The veteran tv star mentioned that every time she had spoken out all through her profession she had been instructed “shut up otherwise you’ll by no means work once more”, however she had made it her mission for half a century to get broadcasters to “have variety and inclusion of their DNA”.

Throughout a glittering night on the banks of the Thames, throughout which compelling crime drama High Boy gained greatest drama collection, Benjamin used her speech to name for extra assist for the tv trade and “top quality, regulated content material” for youngsters.

“Our trade is in turmoil, dealing with new know-how, cuts and unemployment,” she mentioned. “So authorities should present inventive survival options as we navigate this quickly altering panorama.”

On an evening that closed a chapter of status tv – with 2023 seeing finales starting from The Crown, Succession to Blissful Valley, in addition to High Boy– the Bafta chair, Sara Putt, echoed the sentiment.

Talking earlier than the awards Putt had mentioned the UK was a nation of “pure storytellers” who had created a “brilliantly combined economic system” of tv, however in a speech to attenders she acknowledged that it had been “a extremely powerful 12 months for therefore many in our trade. For freelancers, indies, PSBs and broadcasters alike”.

High Boy, which got here to a “highly effective and potent conclusion” on the finish of final 12 months, gained two awards, with Jasmine Jobson accepting the Bafta for greatest supporting actress with a shout out to her niece. “My child lady, Auntie Jasmine did it, I did it!,” she mentioned.

Royal drama The Crown left empty handed after main the sector with eight nominations, whereas Blissful Valley collected two awards. Succession went house with one award: greatest supporting actor for Matthew Macfadyen for his function as Tom Wambsgans within the HBO drama.

After profitable the Bafta for main actress, the star of Blissful Valley Sarah Lancashire thanked author Sally Wainwright and the BBC “for giving this very British drama a really British house”.

The present additionally gained in probably the most memorable TV second class – the one award voted for by the general public – for the collection’ closing kitchen showdown.

Accepting his Bafta for main actor for his function in The Sixth Commandment, Timothy Spall lovingly referred to as performing “a soppy outdated factor, standing up pretending to be somebody and pissing round in costume”, however mentioned it was a “stunning factor” to inform the story of people that had been by way of horror.

“When it makes a distinction and we will all share within the human situation […] though performing is a foolish silly factor, it’s pretty,”

In wonderful sunshine, the celebs of British tv made the compulsory tour down the crimson carpet into the ceremony on the Royal Pageant Corridor on Sunday afternoon, as crowds in London’s South Financial institution tried to catch a glimpse their small display screen favourites.

Among the many tuxedos and ball robes have been some extra uncommon outfits, together with a robust displaying from comic Joe Lycett, who dressed as Queen Elizabeth I, replete with a silver cape and full Elizabethan ruff, due to a misplaced wager. Accumulating the leisure efficiency Bafta for his Channel 4 present Late Night time Lycett, he mentioned: “Because of my mum and pop, Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII.”

Opening the annual ceremony, co-hosts Romesh Ranganathan and Rob Beckett joked that stars accepting their awards ought to preserve their speeches brief and candy. “For those who discover you’re misplaced for phrases, good. Maintain it that manner,” quipped Beckett.

The pair turned emotional as they collected the comedy leisure award for his or her present Rob and Romesh Vs. However Ranganathan was quickly again to the gags, saying: “Can I simply say what nice awards these are … it’s a recognition of true expertise and genius.”

Successful the award for greatest leisure programme, Strictly Come Dancing presenter Tess Daly thanked Bafta “for making it value placing on the Spanx on the most well liked day of the 12 months”, and thanked everybody concerned within the present which is celebrating its twentieth 12 months. “It has been probably the most great collection,” she mentioned.

Daytime TV presenter Lorraine Kelly beamed as she accepted the particular award from Succession star Brian Cox to a standing ovation. Holding it aloft, she joked: “I’m on the telly tomorrow, however I’m going to have a good time tonight”.

Choosing up the award for greatest feminine efficiency in comedy for her function in Black Ops, Gbemisola Ikumelo left the tears to others with a exuberant acceptance speech, joking that her agent could be telling her subsequent employers: “Yesterday’s worth isn’t as we speak’s.”

Mawaan Rizwan, who gained the Bafta for greatest male efficiency in a comedy, thanked his therapist, noting it was not the most effective week to debate his reliance on exterior types of validation.

Winners

Main actress
Sarah Lancashire, Blissful Valley (BBC One)

Main actor
Timothy Spall, The Sixth Commandment (BBC One)

Drama collection
High Boy (Netflix)

Worldwide
Class Act (Netflix)

Restricted drama
The Sixth Commandment (BBC One)

Supporting actor
Matthew MacFadyen, Succession (Sky Atlantic)

Supporting actress
Jasmine Jobson, High Boy (Netflix)

Feminine efficiency in a comedy programme
Gbemisola Ikumelo, Black Ops (BBC One)

Male efficiency in a comedy programme
Mawaan Rizwan, Juice (BBC Three)

Scripted comedy
Such Courageous Women (BBC Three)

Comedy leisure programme
Rob & Romesh Vs … (Sky Max)

Leisure programme
Strictly Come Dancing (BBC One)

Leisure efficiency
Joe Lycett, Late Night time Lycett (Channel 4)

Single documentary
Ellie Simmonds: Discovering My Secret Household (ITV1)

Factual Leisure
Celeb Race Throughout the World (BBC One)

Factual collection
Lockerbie (Sky Documentaries)

Actuality
Squid Sport: The Problem (Netflix)

Specialist factual
White Nanny, Black Little one (Channel 5)

Stay occasion
Eurovision Track Contest (BBC One)

Quick movie
Mobility (BBC Three)

Sport
Cheltenham Pageant Day One (ITV1)

Information protection
Channel 4 Information: Inside Gaza, Israel and Hamas at Battle (Channel 4)

Present affairs
The Shamima Begum Story (BBC Two)

Daytime
Rip-off Interceptors (BBC One)

Cleaning soap
Casualty (BBC One)

P&O Cruises Memorable Second
Blissful Valley: Catherine Cawood and Tommy Lee Royce’s closing kitchen showdown (BBC One)