BAFTA backlash as Lorraine Kelly picks up outstanding contribution gong at TV awards
Lorraine Kelly's BAFTA TV Awards triumph has certainly got tongues wagging - and fans are all making the same joke. The telly icon was honoured with the 2024 Special Award by none other than Succession actor and fellow Scot Brian Cox for her remarkable contribution to television on Sunday (12 May) evening.
Celebrating an incredible four decades in broadcasting this year, 64 year old Lorraine is a staple of our morning routines but not everyone was ready to sing her praises. Social media was abuzz after her acceptance speech, with one user quipping on X (previously known as Twitter): "Surprised Lorraine didn't send someone else to pick up her award."
Another chimed in: "Lorraine should have thanked Christine and Ranvir for presenting her show when she couldn't be a***d," reports the Daily Star. And a third commenter suggested: "Surely Christine Lampard and Ranvir Singh deserve a third each of Lorraine Kelly's award."
A cheeky X, formerly known as Twitter, account called Where is Lorraine? has been playfully keeping tabs on whether the beloved presenter is at the helm of her eponymous show, which graces our screens every weekday at 9am before This Morning. The bio on the account reads: "Keeping track of when the actress Lorraine Kelly decides to host her own show."
And they have been committed with the latest post on Friday (May 10) reading: "Lorraine Kelly did not host her own show this morning, with Christine Lampard stepping in. #Lorraine has hosted 63 episodes out of 94 (67%) this year. Christine has hosted 19 episodes, Ranvir Singh has hosted 11 and Louise Minchin has hosted 1."
Lorraine learned about her special award live on air in March this year as Susanna Reid surprised her on set. When Susanna entered the studio with a golden envelope, she told Lorraine: "Good morning Lorraine, this has come as an enormous surprise... I have a very special announcement for you, Lorraine Kelly. It doesn't get much bigger or more deserved than this. I am here for a very special reason this morning."
Susanna explained that Lorraine was being honoured for her decades in the industry, her life-changing campaigns and charity work and would receive the gong in a ceremony. Upon receiving the news, Lorraine exclaimed: "This is nuts! Where's Ant and Dec? This is a prank," before adding: "This is lovely. I'm absolutely thrilled to bits."
Speaking ahead of Sunday night's ceremony, Lorraine said: "Finding out on-air this morning was a massive surprise – what an honour to the recipient of the BAFTA Special Award. A huge thanks to everybody I’ve worked with on screen and behind the scenes over the years – the people who make Daytime TV are very special people."
