Bafta TV Awards 2025: "Mr Loverman" and "Baby Reindeer" Lead the Pack with Major Wins

The TV Bafta Awards 2025 took over our screens tonight, with big wins going to the stars of smash hit Netflix series Baby Reindeer , LGBTQ+ drama Mr Loverman , and pioneering ITV program Mr Bates Against The Post Office .

Several big celebrities graced the red carpet before the event began at London ’s Royal Festival Hall.

Airing on BBC Firstly, this year's event was emceed by Scottish actor Alan Cumming and featured participants from all across the show's ensemble. Gavin and Stacey to The Traitors To mark 12 months of outstanding TV programming.

One of the major victors was Lennie James, who took home the leading actor Bafta for his portrayal of Barrington Walker in "Mr Loverman."

The actor confessed that he hadn't 'prepped anything' for his speech and elaborated, '(I) didn't expect this would be heading my direction.'

Mr Loverman aired on BBC, based on Bernardine Evaristo’s novel of the same name, about a man who contemplates leaving his wife for his male lover.

James said to Evaristo, "I really appreciate you entrusting your characters to us."

However, that was not the only victory for the show that evening, as Ariyon Bakare took home the award for best supporting actor for his portrayal of Morris De La Roux.

Receiving the trophy, Bakare stated: "This accolade rests upon the achievements of those who preceded me, individuals who may have felt compelled to hide their true selves."

Regarding the acting awards, Marisa Abela took home the Bafta for best lead actress for her role in "Industry."

The actress mentioned that she secured a role in the BBC show, which revolves around a group of young finance graduates, during her initial year at drama school. She stated that playing Yasmin transformed her life.

'I've been capturing footage of the industry for around six years, and I must say, it’s mind-blowing that both Bad Wolf and HBO allowed us to continue beyond season one,' she shared with the crowd.

The Back to Black actress Abela defeat Anna Maxwell Martin in the true-crime miniseries "Until I Kill You," outperform Lola Petticrew in the historical Northern Irish drama "Say Nothing," and surpass Sharon D. Clarke in "Mr. Loverman."

She was competing with Monica Dolan for "Mr Bates Vs The Post Office" and Billie Piper for the Netflix series "Scoop," which covered the Newsnight interview involving Emily Maitlis and Prince Andrew.

But that doesn’t mean Mr Bates Against The Post Office headed back without anything, since Kevin Lygo, who serves as the managing director of ITV Studios, was honored with the special award. for commissioning the series , urging all TV corporations to continue making programmes to ‘make power take account’.

"Mr Bates vs The Post Office" also claimed the prize for limited drama. Producer Patrick Spence mentioned that they wouldn’t have been able to create the series without ITV’s support, along with thanks to the journalists who reported on it. the wrongful conviction of the subpostmasters disciplined because of the Horizon IT scandal, along with the campaigners.

He mentioned that individuals like Sir Alan Bates 'called for action with immense fury,' and showing the drama demonstrated that the public 'won’t tolerate lies and bullies.'

Other victors included Richard Gadd’s comedy-thriller series This production drew from his personal encounters with stalking. It broke streaming records and has had a remarkable journey during award season, securing the Best Limited Series Emmy.

Nevertheless, it was not only the show itself but particularly its cast members who took home awards, with Jessica Gunning receiving the prize for best supporting actress. her portrayal of Martha .

In the show, the stalker bombards Donny (portrayed by Gadd) with numerous messages and emails following him serving her a complimentary cup of tea at the pub where he is employed.

Gunning, born in Yorkshire, defeated her co-star from "Baby Reindeer," transgender actress Nava Mau, who portrayed Donny's girlfriend Teri.

Upon receiving her award, she gazed at the trophy and exclaimed: 'Hello, cheeky chops. Wow, thanks so much, Bafta.' She then playfully mentioned that she would often mimic being a dog in her backyard when she was younger.

"I occasionally engage in these somewhat corny reflections where I revisit my youth and past experiences. I picture who I was back then encountering myself today, and I often think, 'Who would have thought,' " she explained.

She mentioned that last year, both she and Gadd attended the event, with no clue about 'what the year held,' expressing her gratitude to him for 'transforming her life.'

Elsewhere, we had a handful of surprise victors, as the Bafta reality prize went to Channel 4’s The Jury: Murder Trial, beating the hit BBC psychological series The Traitors.

The entertainment programme Bafta gong was picked up by BBC panel comedy show Would I Lie To You?, hosted by Rob Brydon, which beat panellist Lee Mack’s The 1% Club.

On the comedy scene, there wasn’t a dry eye among the Gavin and Stacey cast as they watched with pride while Ruth Jones accepted her female performance trophy.

'I won’t sugarcoat it, this is huge,' she remarked, mimicking Nessa, then earnestly added: 'The person I want to acknowledge above all is my wonderful, incredibly gifted friend, James Corden.'

The camera subsequently shifted to James, whose tears couldn’t be contained.

The one category where Gavin and Stacey did not claim victory was the viewer-voted memorable moment award, which instead went to Strictly Come Dancing for their 'blackout' performance. Between Dianne Buswell and Chris McCausland .

Last year, Chris created historical records as the first-ever blind person to participate in Strictly and ultimately emerge as the winner alongside his Australian professional partner.

Receiving the award for both of them, Dianne remarked: "Within just one minute and thirty seconds of our performance, it feels as though we conveyed an entire narrative. A tale marked by hope, resolve, toughness, and fragility—all captured in that single minute and thirty seconds."

The evening's other winners included EastEnders taking home the award for best soap, Blue Lights winning for best drama series, and former Newsnight host Kirsty Wark, who was presented with a standing ovation as she accepted the Bafta Fellowship, which is the organization’s top honor.

At the start of the night, as the glam event got underway, stars descended on the carpet in their finery.

Broadcasting legend Graham Norton was among those leading arrivals, but sparked concern with his appearance.

Norton, who turned 62, maintained his usual cheerful demeanor while posing for photos, but there was an unexpected addition to his attire that caught everyone’s attention.

The renowned Irish talk show host appeared in an entirely black tuxedo featuring a whimsical collar, while sporting his left arm in a black netted sling.

The details of what occurred remain unclear, and it's uncertain if Norton endured a severe injury, since he hasn't made any public statements about it.

Nevertheless, happily, he isn’t allowing a minor setback to dull his enthusiasm; he showcased his well-known bright smile at this year’s BAFTAs, where The Graham Norton Show received recognition in the entertainment performance category alongside shows like Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway.

When talking about Ant and Dec, the stylish pair from Geordie dressed sharply in black tuxedos as always tonight. Meanwhile, Claudia chose an entirely black outfit, naturally complementing her look with her trademark smoky eye makeup.

Elsewhere, comedy collaborators Corden and Jones made notable appearances after being nominated for the prestigious award. heartfelt conclusion of Gavin and Stacey , which was broadcast on Christmas Day.

The pair demonstrated that their bond remains unbreakable well past the end of filming their roles as Smithy and Nessa by standing together; Corden in a tuxedo and Jones in a lustrous blue satin dress.

In the meantime, teenage child actor Owen Cooper took his inaugural stroll down a significant red carpet following gaining prominence at age 13 as Jamie in the Netflix four-parter.

Expected to have a promising future, he did. co-actress Erin Doherty at his side for support before they presented an award together.

Notable Doctor Who star and all-around great guy David Tennant made a lively appearance dressed in an eccentric suit beside his spouse, Georgia, after hosting the film version of the Baftas back in February.

Emily Atack looked striking in a white dress paired with black leather gloves. Her Disney+ show, "Rivals," received an impressive six nominations, including one for best moment. Meanwhile, the Apple TV+ espionage drama "Slow Horses," featuring Academy Award-winner Gary Oldman, was similarly recognized with six award nods.

Don't miss the 2025 TV Bafta awards on BBC iPlayer.

Complete list of Bafta 2025 award recipients

Film - Conclave

Leading actress - Mikey Madison, Anora

Leading actor - Adrien Brody, The Brutalist

Director - Brady Corbet, The Brutalist

EE Rising star - David Jonsson, Alien: Romulus

Outstanding British film - Conclave

Make-up and hair - The Substance

Costume design - Wicked

Short animation - Wander To Wonder

Short film -  Rock, Paper, Scissors

Documentary - Superman: The Christopher Reeve Story

Supporting actor - Kieran Culkin, Quite Troublesome

Supporting actress - Zoe Saldana, Emilia Clarke

Cinematography - The Brutalist

Casting - Sean Baker and Samantha Quan, Anora

Editing - Conclave

Adapted screenplay - Conclave

Original screenplay - A Real Pain

Original score - The Brutalist

Sound - Dune: Part Two

Movie not in the English language - Emilia Perez

Production design - Wicked

Exceptional first effort from a British writer, director, and producer. - Rich Peppiatt (Kneecap)

Children's and family film - Wallace and Gromit: Fury in Flight

Special visual effects - Dune: Part Two

Animated film - Wallace and Gromit: Fury in Flight

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