With Oscar season finally done and dusted, attention has now turned towards today’s nominations for the BAFTA television awards.

Steve McQueen’s anthology series Small Axe leads the pack with a hefty fifteen mentions; eclipsing the fourteen received by Killing Eve in 2019 and Chernobyl last year.

The powerful mini-series focuses on five stories connected to the Black-British experience including the factual campaign for justice by the Mangrove Nine and the real-life experiences of policeman Leroy Logan and writer Alex Wheatle.

As well as being nominated for Best Mini-Series, Small Axe also received acting nominations for five of its actors. Shaun Parkes and recent Golden Globe winner John Boyega are acknowledged in Leading Actor for their respective roles as Mangrove Restaurant owner Frank Crichlow and policeman Leroy Logan.

Additionally, Letita Wright is nominated in Leading Actress for her portrayal of activist Altheia Jones-LeCointe while there are double Supporting Actor nods for Malachi Kirby (as racial justice campaigner Darcus Howe) and Micheal Ward (as party goer Franklyn).

Elsewhere, the fourth series of Netflix’s The Crown competes in ten categories including Best Drama Series while stars Josh O’Connor, Tobias Menzies and Helena Bonham Carter are acknowledged for their respective portrayals of Prince Charles, Prince Phillip and Princess Margaret.

Bizarrely, co-stars Olivia Colman (Queen Elizabeth II), Emma Corrin (Princess Diana) and Gillian Anderson (Margeret Thatcher) were all overlooked despite previous success with major American awards groups.

As predicted by many, two other lauded programmes to receive multiple nominations were I May Destroy You (eight) and Normal People (six). The pair compete in a strong Best Mini-Series category that also includes Channel 4’s Adult Material.

I May Destroy You’s Michaela Coel is a heavy favourite to win the Leading Actress prize but faces stern competition from the likes of Billie Piper (I Hate Suzie), Daisy Edgar-Jones (Normal People), Hayley Squires (Adult Material) and previous winner Jodie Comer (Killing Eve).

Meanwhile, other notable acting nominees in the drama categories include Paapa Essiedu (I May Destroy You), Paul Mescal (Normal People), Waleed Zuaiter (Baghdad Central), Rupert Everett (Adult Material), Kunal Nayyar (Criminal: UK), Michael Sheen (Quiz), Rakie Ayola (Anthony), Leila Farzad (I Hate Suzie), Siena Kelly (Adult Material), Sophie Okonedo (Criminal: UK) and Weruche Opia (I May Destroy You).

The Best Single Drama line-up sees the Anthony Walker-based drama Anthony face stern competition from the likes of Sitting in Limbo and The Windermere Children.

In the comedy categories, the final series of This Country contests a strong Best Scripted Comedy group with Ghosts, Inside No. 9 and Man Like Mobeen.

Siblings Charlie and Daisy May Cooper are both acknowledged in the acting categories alongside Sex Education trio Ncuti Gatwa, Emma Mackey and Aimee Lou Wood plus Joseph Gilgun (Brassic), Guz Khan (Man Like Mobeen), Daisy Haggard (Breeders), Gbemisola Ikumelo (Famalam) and Reece Shearsmith (Inside No. 9).

Fittingly, the late Paul Ritter receives a posthumous Leading Actor (comedy) nomination for his popular role as Martin Goodman in the final series of Friday Night Dinner.

Finally, Virgin Media’s Must-See Moment sees key moments from reality shows Britain’s Got Talent and Gogglebox contest against high-profile shows like Bridgerton and The Mandalorian.

Despite unanimous praise for his portrayal of Dennis Nielsen in Des, David Tennant was the high-profile Best Actor snub. The crime drama was completely ignored in other categories along with the likes of Honour, In My Skin, The Salisbury Poisonings, Talking Heads and White House Farm.

Like last year, Richard Ayoade will host the Virgin Media British Academy Television Awards for a second year on June 6, while acting nominee Gbemisola Ikumelo will host the British Academy Television Craft Awards on May 24.

The full list of BAFTA nominations can be found below (winner predictions in blue):

BEST DRAMA SERIES
THE CROWN
GANGS OF LONDON
I HATE SUZIE
SAVE ME TOO

BEST MINI-SERIES
ADULT MATERIAL
I MAY DESTROY YOU
NORMAL PEOPLE
SMALL AXE

BEST SINGLE DRAMA
ANTHONY
BBW: ON THE EDGE
SITTING IN LIMBO
THE WINDERMERE CHILDREN

BEST LEADING ACTOR
John Boyega, SMALL AXE
Paapa Essiedu, I MAY DESTROY YOU
Paul Mescal, NORMAL PEOPLE
Josh O’Connor, THE CROWN
Shaun Parkes, SMALL AXE
Waleed Zuaiter, BAGHDAD CENTRAL

BEST LEADING ACTRESS
Michaela Coel, I MAY DESTROY YOU
Jodie Comer, KILLING EVE
Daisy Edgar-Jones, NORMAL PEOPLE
Billie Piper, I HATE SUZIE
Hayley Squires, ADULT MATERIAL
Letitia Wright, SMALL AXE

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Rupert Everett, ADULT MATERIAL
Malachi Kirby, SMALL AXE
Tobias Menzies, THE CROWN
Kunal Nayyar, CRIMINAL: UK
Michael Sheen, QUIZ
Micheal Ward, SMALL AXE

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Rakie Ayola, ANTHONY
Helena Bonham Carter, THE CROWN
Leila Farzad, I HATE SUZIE
Siena Kelly, ADULT MATERIAL
Sophie Okonedo, CRIMINAL: UK
Weruche Opia, I MAY DESTROY YOU

BEST SCRIPTED COMEDY
GHOSTS
INSIDE NO. 9
MAN LIKE MOBEEN
THIS COUNTRY

BEST MALE PERFORMANCE IN A COMEDY PROGRAMME
Charlie Cooper, THIS COUNTRY
Ncuti Gatwa, SEX EDUCATION
Joseph Gilgun, BRASSIC
Guz Khan, MAN LIKE MOBEEN
Paul Ritter, FRIDAY NIGHT DINNER
Reece Shearsmith, INSIDE NO. 9

BEST FEMALE PERFORMANCE IN A COMEDY PROGRAMME
Daisy May Cooper, THIS COUNTRY
Daisy Haggard, BREEDERS
Gbemisola Ikumelo, FAMALAM
Emma Mackey, SEX EDUCATION
Mae Martin, FEEL GOOD
Aimee Lou Wood, SEX EDUCATION

BEST SOAP & CONTINUING DRAMA
CASUALTY
CORONATION STREET
EASTENDERS
HOLLYOAKS

BEST INTERNATIONAL
LITTLE AMERICA
LOVECRAFT COUNTRY
UNORTHODOX
WELCOME TO CHECHNYA: THE GAY PURGE (STORYVILLE)

BEST DAYTIME PROGRAMME
THE CHASE
THE GREAT HOUSE GIVEAWAY
JIMMY MCGOVERN’S MOVING ON
RICHARD OSMAN’S HOUSE OF GAMES

BEST ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAMME
ANT & DEC’S SATURDAY NIGHT TAKEAWAY
LIFE & RHYMES
THE MASKED SINGER
STRICTLY COME DANCING

BEST ENTERTAINMENT PERFORMANCE
Adam Hills, THE LAST LEG
David Mitchell, WOULD I LIE TO YOU?
Graham Norton, THE GRAHAM NORTON SHOW
Romesh Ranganathan, THE RANGANATION
Bradley Walsh, BEAT THE CHASERS
Claudia Winkleman, STRICTLY COME DANCING

BEST COMEDY ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAMME
THE BIG NARSTIE SHOW
CHARLIE BROOKER’S ANTIVIRAL WIPE
THE RANGANATION
ROB & ROMESH VS

BEST FACTUAL SERIES
CRIME & PUNISHMENT
HOSPITAL
LOSING IT: OUR MENTAL HEALTH EMERGENCY
ONCE UPON A TIME IN IRAQ

BEST SINGLE DOCUMENTARY
AMERICAN MURDER: THE FAMILY NEXT DOOR
ANTON FERDINAND: FOOTBALL, RACISM & ME
LOCKED IN: BREAKING THE SILENCE (STORYVILLE)
SURVIVING COVID

BEST FEATURES
BIG ZUU’S BIG EATS
LONG LAST FAMILY: BORN WITHOUT TRACE
MORTIMER AND WHITEHOUSE: GONE FISHING
THE REPAIR SHOP

BEST REALITY & CONSTRUCTED FACTUAL
MASTERCHEF: THE PROFESSIONALS
RACE ACROSS THE WORLD
THE SCHOOL THAT TRIED TO END RACISM
THE WRITE OFFS

BEST SPECIALIST FACTUAL
EXTINCTION: THE FACTS
PUTIN: A RUSSIAN SPY STORY
THE RISE OF THE MURDOCH DYNASTY
THE SURGEON’S CUT

BEST CURRENT AFFAIRS
AMERICA’S WAR ON ABORTION (EXPOSURE)
THE BATTLE FOR HONG KONG (DISPATCHES)
THE CYPRUS PAPERS UNDERCOVER (AL JAZEERA INVESTIGATIONS)
ITALY’S FRONTLINE: A DOCTOR’S DIARY

BEST NEWS COVERAGE
BBC NEWS AT TEN: PRIME MINISTER ADMITTED TO INTENSIVE CARE
CHANNEL 4 NEWS: DETERRING DEMOCRACY
NEWSNIGHT: COVID CARE CRISIS
SKY NEWS: INSIDE IDLIB

BEST SPORT
BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX
ENGLAND V FRANCE: THE FINAL OF AUTUMN NATIONS CUP
ENGLAND V WEST INDIES TEST CRICKET
LONDON MARATHON 2020

BEST LIVE-EVENT
LIFE DRAWING LIVE!
THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION FESTIVAL OF REMEMBRANCE
SPRINGWATCH 2020
THE THIRD DAY: AUTUMN

BEST SHORT FORM PROGRAMME
CRIPTALES
DISABLED NOT DEFEATED: THE ROCK BAND WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES
THE MAIN PART
THEY SAW THE SUN FIRST

VIRGIN MEDIA’S MUST-SEE MOMENT
BRIDGERTON, Penelope is revealed as Lady Whistledown
BRITAIN’S GOT TALENT, Diversity perform a routine inspired by the BLM protests
EASTENDERS, Gray kills Chantelle
GOGGLEBOX, Reactions to Boris Johnson’s press conference
THE MANDALORIAN, Luke Skywalker arrives
NIGELLA’S COOK, EAT, REPEAT, Nigella Lawson’s pronunciation of microwave

The full list of BAFTA craft nominations can be found here: https://www.bafta.org/television/awards/tv-2021