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

The BBC anthology series Small Axe leads the pack with a dominant fifteen mentions, which eclipses the fourteen received by Killing Eve in 2019 and Chernobyl last year.

Directed by multi-award-winning filmmaker Steve McQueen, the miniseries focuses on five stories connected to the Black-British experience, including the 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 receives a hefty five nominations for its cast as part of the newly-expanded acting categories.

Shaun Parkes and recent Golden Globe winner John Boyega are acknowledged in Leading Actor for their respective portrayals of Mangrove Restaurant owner Frank Crichlow and policeman Leroy Logan.

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

Elsewhere, the fourth series of Netflix’s The Crown is in contention for ten awards, including Best Drama Series where it competes against Sky Atlantic trio Gangs of London, I Hate Suzie and Save Me Too.

Golden Globe victor Josh O’Connor earns a Leading Actor nom for his portrayal of Prince Charles, while co-stars Tobias Menzies and Helena Bonham Carter are acknowledged in the supporting categories for their respective performances as Prince Phillip and Princess Margaret.

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

Once again, there are multiple nominations for two of this year’s biggest miniseries in the form of BBC One’s I May Destroy You and BBC Three’s Normal People.

I May Destroy You, which follows a young writer seeking to rebuild her life after being raped, is up for Best Mini-Series, while creator and star Michaela Coel is heavily favoured to win the Leading Actress prize for her lauded performance as Arabella Essiedu.

Additionally, Paapa Essiedu is placed in the Leading Actor category, while co-star Weruche Opia is up for Supporting Actress.

In the case of Normal People, the romantic drama scored double lead acting nods for rising stars Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones.

The fourth Best Mini-Series contender is Channel 4’s Adult Material, which picked up a hat-trick of acting mentions, including a Leading Actress nom for Hayley Squires.

Her competition in her respective field is rounded off by Billie Piper (I Hate Suzie) and previous category winner Jodie Comer (Killing Eve).

Elsewhere, Arab-American performer Waleed Zuaiter earns a surprise Leading Actor nom for Channel 4’s Baghdad Central, while Michael Sheen is shortlisted in Supporting Actor for his memorable turn as presenter Chris Tarrant in ITV’s Quiz.

The other notable supporting nominees include Rakie Ayola (Anthony), Rupert Everett (Adult Material), Leila Farzad (I Hate Suzie), Siena Kelly (Adult Material), Kunal Nayyar (Criminal: UK), and Sophie Okonedo (Criminal: UK).

Meanwhile, the Best Single Drama line-up sees BBC trio Anthony, Sitting in Limbo and The Windermere Children compete against Channel 4’s BBW: On the Edge.

In the comedy categories, the final series of BBC Three’s This Country contests a strong Best Scripted Comedy field with fellow BBC sitcoms 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.

Fittingly, the late Paul Ritter receives a posthumous Male Comedy Performance nomination for his popular role as Martin Goodman in the final series of Channel 4’s Friday Night Dinner.

Joseph Gilgun (Brassic), Guz Khan (Man Like Mobeen) and Reece Shearsmith (Inside No. 9) complete the aforementioned Male Comedy Performance field, while Daisy Haggard (Breeders), Gbemisola Ikumelo (Famalam) and Mae Martin (Feel Good) lock horns for the Female Comedy Performance prize.

Elsewhere, BBC One duo Casualty and EastEnders are in contention for the Soap & Continuing Drama award, while the International category includes HBO’s Lovecraft Country and Netflix’s Unorthodox.

Meanwhile, the newly-expanded Entertainment Performance line-up includes previous winner Graham Norton (The Graham Norton Show) as well as the likes of David Mitchell (Would I Lie to You? at Christmas), Romesh Ranganathan (The Ranganation), Bradley Walsh (Beat the Chasers) and Claudia Winkleman (Strictly Come Dancing).

The other notable programmes looking to claim BAFTA honours include Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway, Anton Ferdinand: Football, Racism and Me, The Big Narstie Show, The Chase, Jimmy McGovern’s Moving On, The Masked Singer, Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing, Once Upon a Time in Iraq, and Race Across the World.

Finally, Virgin TV’s Must-See Moment features the likes of Diversity’s lauded routine on Britain’s Got Talent, Luke Skywalker’s appearance in The Mandalorian, and Nigella Lawson’s pronunciation of ‘microwave’ in Nigella’s Cook, Eat, Repeat.

Like last year, Richard Ayoade will host the 67th BAFTA Television Awards for a second consecutive year on Sunday 6 June.

Once again, COVID-19 restrictions are likely to be in place though, an in-person ceremony will take place at London’s Television Centre.

The full list of major BAFTA nominations are 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 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 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 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 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 SCRIPTED COMEDY
GHOSTS
INSIDE NO. 9
MAN LIKE MOBEEN
THIS COUNTRY

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

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

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

VIRGIN TV’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)

Additionally, the full list of BAFTA Craft nominations can be found here: https://www.bafta.org/television/awards/tv-2021