Star-Studded Night on the Thames: BAFTA TV Awards 2025 Recap
Lights, camera, major shake-ups! The 2025 BAFTA TV Awards weren’t your usual predictable ride. This year’s gala, hosted by the ever-charismatic Alan Cumming of The Traitors fame, sparkled with spring vibes at London’s iconic Royal Festival Hall, just by the River Thames. The red carpet was packed, the energy was high, and the winners? Well, let’s just say there were some surprises that had jaws on the floor.
Mr Bates vs The Post Office: A TV Giant with a Cause
There’s no way around it—Mr Bates vs The Post Office stole the show. The emotionally charged ITV series, based on the true story of wrongfully accused British postmasters, snagged the award for Best Limited Drama. The show sparked a nationwide reckoning, not just in terms of ratings, but with public discourse around justice and accountability.
Adding to the moment, ITV’s content chief Kevin Lygo accepted the Special Award for commissioning the series. In his heartfelt acceptance speech, he championed British storytelling and warned of the dangers funding cuts pose to powerful dramas like Mr Bates. “These are the stories that matter,” he emphasized, drawing applause from a room full of UK television royalty.
Oh—and it didn’t stop there. Toby Jones earned a nomination for his role in the series, and Monica Dolan was up for Best Supporting Actress too. The BAFTAs clearly had Mr Bates on their radar.
Baby Reindeer: Not Quite the Clean Sweep
Netflix’s Baby Reindeer has been the darling of award season, nabbing Emmys and Golden Globes left and right. But the BAFTAs? Not quite the home run everyone expected. The show didn’t win Best Limited Drama—Mr Bates took that one—but Jessica Gunning did earn the BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress, keeping the show from going home empty-handed.
And let’s not forget: creator and star Richard Gadd already bagged the Writer: Drama award at the Craft Awards earlier in the month. So, while Baby Reindeer didn’t dominate, it definitely didn’t fade into the background either.
Mr Loverman Brings the Heat
Lennie James made a powerful impact with his lead performance in Mr Loverman, the BBC adaptation of Bernardine Evaristo’s novel. Winning Best Leading Actor in one of the night’s most competitive categories, James beat out fan favorites like Richard Gadd (Baby Reindeer) and Gary Oldman (Slow Horses).
Not to be outshined, Ariyon Bakare took home Best Supporting Actor for his performance in the same series. Unfortunately, American audiences will have to wait—the series hasn’t landed a U.S. distributor just yet.
Let’s Talk Comedy Gold
Who doesn’t love a laugh at an awards show? Danny Dyer, the former Football Factory tough guy, shocked everyone with his BAFTA win for Best Male Performance in a Comedy. His role in Mr Big Stuff had fans in stitches, and Danny didn’t hold back during his speech: “What a touch,” he grinned, then joked, “Acting so bad it's funny.”
Ruth Jones, meanwhile, brought everyone back to cozy British sitcom territory with her win for Best Female Performance in a Comedy for the emotional farewell of Gavin & Stacey. She thanked co-star James Corden for their 17-year “astonishing journey.” Cue the tissues.
Marisa Abela's Industry Win: An Emotional Highlight
One of the night’s most touching moments came courtesy of Marisa Abela, who won Best Leading Actress for her role in Industry, the slick financial drama co-produced by HBO and the BBC. Fighting back tears, she thanked creators Mickey Down and Konrad Kay for giving her a life-changing opportunity. “You changed my life,” she said simply. Powerful stuff.
International Vibes and Political Statements
It wouldn’t be a true BAFTA Awards without a little global flavor and a hint of controversy. Shōgun, the epic Disney+ series, claimed the Best International Series title. Showrunner Justin Marks took a subtle political jab in his acceptance, stating, “Good television is truly a borderless nation”—a not-so-veiled nod to U.S. politics.
The night also got political during the Best Current Affairs segment. Marcel Mettelsiefen, accepting for State of Rage, used his platform to speak out about Gaza, calling the situation “collective punishment.” It was one of the evening’s most serious and sobering moments.
Documentary Shocks and Surprises
The Best Single Documentary award went to Ukraine: Enemy In The Woods, a win that sparked quiet murmurs in the room. HOYO Films, the producer, is currently under scrutiny for its controversial documentary Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone, narrated by a Hamas official’s son.
Still, Jamie Roberts from HOYO emphasized their mission to keep making bold documentaries: “It’s what we live for.” Love or hate it, you’ve got to respect the passion.
Rock Royalty and News Excellence
BBC’s coverage of Glastonbury 2024 finally broke a 30-year dry spell by winning Best Live Event Coverage. Music fans, rejoice! And over in the news category, BBC Breakfast claimed Best News Coverage for its special episode on the Post Office scandal—just another nod to how impactful Mr Bates really was.
And Let’s Not Forget…
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Alma's Not Normal scooped up Best Scripted Comedy.
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Would I Lie to You? outplayed the competition to win Best Entertainment Show.
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Joe Lycett scored Best Entertainment Performance for his Channel 4 show Late Night Lycett.
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To Catch a Copper won Best Factual Series, beating out Netflix’s American Nightmare.
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Quiet Life won Best Short Form.
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And yes, Strictly Come Dancing got the most memorable moment of the year—Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell’s emotional waltz sealed the deal.
Quick Hit Winners (Just So You’re Fully in the Loop)
✅ Best Drama Series: Blue Lights
✅ Best Reality Show: The Jury: Murder Trial
✅ Best Soap: EastEnders
✅ Best Sport Coverage: Paris 2024 Olympics
✅ Best Daytime Show: Clive Myrie's Caribbean Adventure
✅ Children’s Scripted: CBeebies: As You Like It
✅ Children’s Non-Scripted: FYI Investigates: Disability and Me
✅ Specialist Factual: Atomic People
Honoring a Legend
Last but not least, BAFTA gave its highest honor—the Fellowship—to journalist and broadcaster Kirsty Wark. With decades of excellence on Newsnight, she was a standout choice for a lifetime of contributions to British television.
Final Takeaway?
If you thought the BAFTA TV Awards 2025 would be just another night of polite applause and predictable winners, think again. From bold political statements to fresh comedy legends and groundbreaking international hits, the show celebrated not only entertainment but meaningful stories that pushed boundaries.
Ready to binge these award-winners? Because 2025’s BAFTA list is your new must-watch playlist.
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