BAFTA TV Awards 2023 WINNERS: Bad Sisters, The Traitors and The Masked Singer ... trends now
The Traitors and The Masked Singer were among the early winners at the 2023 British Academy Television Awards with P&O Cruises at London's Royal Festival Hall on Sunday.
The star-studded ceremony saw the best and brightest of British TV descend on the capital, with hosts Rob Beckett and Romesh Ranganatha acting as hosts for the evening.
Siobhan McSweeney won her first BAFTA TV award for best female performance in a comedy programme, for playing Sister Michael, the eye-rolling principal of the show's Our Lady Immaculate College in the Channel 4 programme Derry Girls.
The comedy about a group of teenagers growing up in Londonderry in the 1990s was a sleeper hit that built a large and committed following across its three series. Set during the Troubles, the show was praised for offering a new perspective on the period of the IRA and loyalist ceasefires through the eyes of a group of young girls.
In the humorous speech, which she said in double speed given the short time given, she said: 'So I've been warned not to do a political statement, so as my mother laid dying in Cork, one of the very last things she said to me was would I not consider retraining as a teacher. If she could see me now, getting a Bafta for playing a teacher. Joke's on you.'
Riding high! The Traitors and The Masked Singer were among the early winners at the 2023 British Academy Television Awards with P&O Cruises at London's Royal Festival Hall on Sunday
She also thanked Derry Girls writer Lisa McGee 'for not listening to me when I said I could play all the girls parts' and she also thanked Channel 4, adding 'you have my devotion'.
McSweeney added: 'To the people in Derry, thank you taking me into your hearts and living room, despite the ignorance of your so-called leaders in Dublin, Stormont and Westminster. Into the words of my beloved Sister Michael, 'its time they started to wise up'.
The reality and constructed factual award was given to psychological adventure show, The Traitors, and collecting the prize, presenter Claudia Winkleman, 51, said she and the team are 'blown away by this, thank you so much'.
She also thanked the BBC and referenced the meeting where commissioning editors agreed to make the show saying: 'We are going to Scotland, we're going to use the word murder - are you okay with that?'
Lenny Rush took home the award for Best Male Comedy Performance for his lauded performance in Am I Being Unreasonable?
Anne-Marie Duff won the Supporting Actress Award for the comedy Bad Sisters, said she was 'completely shocked' and thanked the cast and production team.
She added that TV is a 'political arena' and said she had a message to people at home.
Duff said: 'If someone..is in their life who is bullying them who is telling them that who they are is wrong, that what they are isn't enough... I am telling you now you are everything.'
Stellar! Siobhan McSweeney won her first BAFTA TV award for best female performance in a comedy programme, for playing Sister Michael, the eye-rolling principal of the show's Our Lady Immaculate College in the Channel 4 programme Derry Girls
Wow! She also thanked Derry Girls writer Lisa McGee 'for not listening to me when I said I could play all the girls parts' and she also thanked Channel 4, adding 'you have my devotion'
Over the moon! The reality and constructed factual award was given to psychological adventure show, The Traitors, and collecting the prize, presenter Claudia Winkleman, 51, said she and the team are 'blown away by this, thank you so much'
Sensational! She also thanked the BBC and referenced the meeting where commissioning editors agreed to make the show saying: 'We are going to Scotland, we're going to use the word murder - are you okay with that?'
She won! Anne-Marie Duff won the Supporting Actress Award for the Apple TV+ comedy Bad Sisters, and said she was 'completely shocked' as thanked the cast and production team
What a prize! She added that TV is a 'political arena' and said she had a message to people at home
Savage! Rob Beckett and Romesh Ranganathan took digs at the BBC, the Gary Lineker controversy and the furore over Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield 's visit to the late Queen's lying in state as they opened the show
In a shocking upset, The Masked Singer beat Ant And Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway and Strictly Come Dancing to win Best Entertainment Programme.
Host of the ITV show Joel Dommett said in his speech: 'I really didn't expect this, Strictly normally wins everything. Thank you so much to ITV firstly for believing in this silly show, it is so silly and it's so wonderful, it has brightened up so many families and homes.
'It is such a joy to make. All of the crew love making it. Thank you to all of the celebrities who have been on the show.'
Judge Mo Gilligan said: 'People tied to mock it when it first came out, and now it has won a Bafta. It is great escapism...people at home don't want to watch something depressing.'
He joked: 'We are just the faces of it, aren't we Joel?'
Presented by Doctor Who returnees David Tennant and Catherine Tate, Joe Lycett Vs Beckham: Got Your Back At Xmas won the Bafta TV features award.
The Channel 4 special of his show featured a stunt in which he threated to destroy £10,000 of his own money unless David Beckham pulled out of his deal with World Cup hosts Qatar, where homosexuality is still illegal.
Lycett later revealed he had not destroyed the cash through a shredder.
A statement from Lycett was read out on stage which said: "I'm sorry to not be there, but according to my PR team I
