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Bafta TV Awards 2023, review: Underwhelming, but kept alive by late Queen's unforgettable Paddington sketch

Simon Farnaby with the award for Memorable Moment, for Queen Elizabeth II and Paddington Bear - Shutterstock
Simon Farnaby with the award for Memorable Moment, for Queen Elizabeth II and Paddington Bear - Shutterstock

“The person who really deserves this award is no longer with us to receive it,” said actor Simon Farnaby, aka the Queen’s butler in that unforgettable Platinum Jubilee sketch. “We can only accept it on her behalf and say ‘Thank you ma’am - for everything’.”

The late monarch’s 70-year TV career received a worthy send-off when she won Most Memorable TV Moment, the only prize decided by the public, for taking tea with Paddington. Via the magic of CGI trickery, the Peruvian bear was seen applauding in the audience at London’s Royal Festival Hall. Was that something in your eye? Blame marmalade sandwich crumbs.

Coming hard on the heels of the King’s Coronation and the Eurovision Song Contest, the BAFTA Television Awards 2023 (BBC One) felt narrow and parochial by comparison. A glorified industry backslapping session, rather than a viewer-facing communal event. Attempts to sex it up with garish graphics, superfluous backstage interviews and viewers’ tweets appearing on-screen were like seeing your dad at a wedding disco. A brave attempt but a little embarrassing.

This ceremony also felt distinctly dated. It recognised programmes broadcast in the previous calendar year. Many shortlisted shows aired in early 2022, which felt a terribly long time ago. It has been almost 18 months since The Responder, for example, went out. We might as well dish out gongs to Dixon Of Dock Green or Muffin The Mule.

At least the compères were on relaxed form, unlike at this year’s BAFTA Film Awards when Richard E Grant looked utterly terrified throughout. First-time hosts were comedians and close pals Rob Beckett and Romesh Ranganathan, the latter sardonically saying it was “an honour not to be trusted to host this on my own”.

They cracked pleasingly edgy gags about BBC balance, diversity drives, Gary Linker’s tweets and Philip Schofield queue-jumping. After a free-wheelingly funny display, the duo deserve to get the gig again next year. Urging winners to keep their speeches short and snappy, Ranganathan said: “Remember, nobody at home cares in the slightest.” If only his words had been heeded. Much of the two-hour running time was eaten up by luvvie-ish lists of thank yous.

Lisa McGee and Siobhán McSweeney pose in the Winner's Room after receiving the Scripted Comedy Award for 'Derry Girls' - Getty Images
Lisa McGee and Siobhán McSweeney pose in the Winner's Room after receiving the Scripted Comedy Award for 'Derry Girls' - Getty Images

Many awards went to widely predicted winners. Troubles sitcom Derry Girls signed off with a well-deserved double triumph. When it scooped Best Scripted Comedy, creator Lisa McGee stressed the importance of “finding light in the dark”. Siobhán McSweeney won Female Comedy Performance for her unforgettable turn as eye-rolling nun Sister Michael. She breathlessly thanked the people of Derry for clutching the show to their hearts, while noting that she’d been warned not to say anything political. McSweeney duly did so anyway - taking a swipe at “the ignorance and stupidity of our so-called leaders in Dublin, Stormont and Westminster” - but the BBC quietly cut it from the broadcast.

The male equivalent went to prodigiously gifted 14-year-old Lenny Rush for the bold, blackly comic Am I Being Unreasonable? He arrived on stage riding a Segway bearing a disability sticker and proceeded to make his proud parents cry. It was one of the night’s most heartwarming moments.

The voice of Paddington, actor Ben Whishaw, won Best Leading Actor for playing an overworked junior doctor in medical miniseries This Is Going To Hurt. Kate Winslet scooped both Best Leading Actress and Best Single Drama for I Am Ruth. Winslet spoke passionately about social media’s impact on young people’s mental health but her acting victory felt unjust. She beat five stalwart performers who led entire series rather than a one-off-drama. I suspect the jury were blinded by Hollywood stardust.

Hit reality contest The Traitors was a more worthy double winner, scooping Reality & Constructed Factual and Best Entertainment Performance for host Claudia Winkleman. Wearing a blazer with “Faithful” emblazoned on the back, in a knowing reference to the show’s Traitors vs Faithfuls format, an endearingly wobbly-lipped Winkleman said she couldn’t cry due to her trademark eyeliner. She narrowly avoided panda eyes while taking the podium opportunity to ask her husband if they could get a dog. Good luck saying no, film producer Kris Thykier.

Elsewhere there were surprise results. After Saturday night’s Eurovision festivities, many expected a red letter weekend for Liverpool to continue with accolades for The Responder. The BBC cop drama was set in the city and written by former Merseyside Police officer Tony Schumacher. Despite six nominations, it came away empty-handed. How on earth Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story stole the International prize from the far superior White Lotus, The Bear and Pachinko is a mystery.

When The Masked Singer won Best Entertainment Programme, even its presenter Joel Dommett was taken aback. ”I really didn’t expect this,” he said. “Strictly normally wins everything.” Multi-talented Nicôle Lecky’s Mood upset the odds by beating bookies’ favourite This Is Going to Hurt to Best Miniseries, while comic crime caper Bad Sisters unexpectedly won Best Drama Series. Its creator Sharon Horgan expressed “solidarity with our WGA brothers and sisters”, referencing the US writer’s strike.

Anne-Marie Duff with the award for Supporting Actress - Shutterstock
Anne-Marie Duff with the award for Supporting Actress - Shutterstock

Bad Sisters’ Anne-Marie Duff won Best Supporting Actress. Best Supporting Actor was Sherwood’s Adeel Akhtar, who paid tribute to Meera Syal for helping open the door to British-Asian acting talent. Syal duly received the Prestigious BAFTA Fellowship for her illustrious career and stuck her glittering bindi on her golden mask gong.

Proceedings opened and closed with songs from house DJ Jax Jones (me neither) and singer Calum Scott (me neither again). Presumably all the A-list musicians were still up in Liverpool or washing their hair. Thankfully, Lewis Capaldi upped the star power with his first televised performance of new single “Wish You The Best”.

A moving “In Memoriam” section paid tribute to much-missed small-screen luminaries such as Len Goodman, Paul O’Grady, Ruth Madoc, Barry Humphries, Bernard Cribbins, Kay Mellor, Raymond Briggs, Bill Turnbull and John Motson. If you’ll indulge a personal note, it was also lovely to see the inclusion of my friend, much-loved TV publicist Lesley Land, who passed away unexpectedly in December.

It was a shame that no room could be found in the TV broadcast for the factual awards. Documentarian Adam Curtis, The Repair Shop: A Royal Visit, The Real Mo Farah and the Women’s Euros coverage all merited their glory but were reduced to a highlights package. Channel 4 newsreader Matt Frei made the night’s only gag about Penny Mordaunt’s sword. It was left on the cutting room floor.

Surely a few minutes could have been found by trimming the interminable scenes of winners slowly coming on-stage, then tottering off it? Chicken Shop Date’s Amelia Dimoldenberg hosted backstage interviews, which were anti-climactic and added little. These should also have been sacrificed from the two-hour show. Why broadcast on a delay if you're not going to fillet more ruthlessly? This show badly needed a BAFTA-winning editor.