The BAFTA TV Awards saw emotional moments as Mary Berry and Martin Lewis received top honours. Berry, 91, was awarded the BAFTA Fellowship, while Lewis received the BAFTA Special Award. Both delivered heartfelt speeches, paying tribute to lost loved ones.
Berry, the former Great British Bake Off judge, praised the BBC as her “home of many years” and joked about being led astray by presenters Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins. She reflected on her 50-year career, saying, “I’m still learning,” and thanked her children, including her son William, who died in 1989. “William is in heaven, but I thank him,” she said.
Martin Lewis, founder of MoneySavingExpert, spoke of his childhood as a “broken, scared boy” after his mother’s death when he was 11. “For six years, barring school, I barely left the house. Now I’m picking up a Bafta,” he said, dedicating the award to consumer journalism.
The drama Adolescence won a record four prizes, while Celebrity Traitors took two awards, including the public-voted Memorable Moment Award. Stephen Graham won Leading Actor for Adolescence, his first BAFTA after eight nominations.
In a controversial moment, the executive producer of Gaza: Doctors Under Attack criticised the BBC for shelving the documentary, asking if the broadcaster would exclude its win from coverage. The BBC later showed the speech briefly during a fast-paced awards sequence.
Fans noted that actress Catherine O’Hara was omitted from the In Memoriam segment, despite a tribute from Seth Rogen during the Best International award for The Studio. Viewers expressed disappointment on social media.
