2016 TV BAFTAs: Wolf Hall and Peter Kay’s Car Share win big

The biggest stars of British telly were out in force last night as the 62nd BAFTA Television Awards took place in London.

The love was spread across multiple programmes, with BBC Two’s Wolf Hall among the standout victors with two major prizes.

The historical drama eased its way to the Drama Series accolade, while central star Mark Rylance overcame the likes of Idris Elba (Luther) and Ben Whishaw (London Spy) to win his second Leading Actor accolade for his portrayal of chief minister Thomas Cromwell.

In a powerful acceptance speech, Rylance said:

“Woe to any government and any corporation who tries to get between the British people and their love of a good joke, a true story, a good song, a fact, a fiction, good sports commentating, newscasters who can hold themselves together as they tell stories about tragedies in Paris, people who can bake cakes.

The incredible variety of popular culture in this country, it’s really blown my mind tonight.”

2016 has already brought plenty of success for the seasoned performer, just over two months after landing an Oscar for his supporting turn in Steven Spielberg’s Cold War drama Bridge of Spies (2015).

In one of the more predictable outcomes on the night, Suranne Jones took home the Leading Actress prize for her popular turn as scorned wife and doctor Gemma Foster in the BBC One drama Doctor Foster.

However, the hit series missed out on winning the Miniseries prize, which was deservedly awarded to Channel 4’s This is England ’90.

The final spin-off series to the acclaimed 2006 film This is England, also scored a Supporting Actress win for cast member Chanel Cresswell as she prevailed for her role as drug-addicted raver Kelly Jenkins.

Meanwhile, Sir Tom Courtenay overcame fellow British veteran Sir Ian McKellen (The Dresser) to clinch the Supporting Actor accolade for his performance as wheelchair-bound murder suspect Eric Slater in ITV’s Unforgotten.

On the comedy front, Peter Kay’s Car Share picked up two major BAFTA wins, including the Scripted Comedy gong ahead of the final series of Peep Show.

Leading star Kay, who co-wrote the hit BBC two-hander, also collected the Male Performance (Comedy) prize for his popular role as supermarket assistant manager John Redmond.

However, co-star Sian Gibson missed out on the Female Performance (Comedy) gong, which was presented to Michaela Coel for her turn as virginal shop assistant Tracey Gordon in E4’s Chewing Gum.

Coel began her acceptance speech by paying her respects to the late comic actress Victoria Wood and then went on to say:

“If there’s anyone out there who looks a bit like me and feels out of place, and wants to get into this [acting], you are beautiful, embrace it, you are intelligent, embrace it, you are powerful, embrace it.”

Elsewhere, BBC Three’s Don’t Take My Baby picked up the Single Drama prize, while Leigh Francis took home the Entertainment Performance award for ITV2’s Celebrity Juice ahead of ceremony host Graham Norton.

Meanwhile, EastEnders beat Coronation Street to win the Soap & Continuing Drama prize, while Prime Video’s Transparent overcame The Good Wife and Narcos to land the International gong.

The other notable BAFTA successes on the night included Have I Got News for You (Comedy and Comedy Entertainment Programme), Strictly Come Dancing (Entertainment Programme), The Murder Detectives (Factual Series), The Great British Bake Off (Features), and First Dates (Reality and Constructed Factual).

The Radio Times Audience Award was presented to ITV’s Poldark with victory coming at the expense of other hit programmes like Doctor Foster, The Great British Bake Off and Peter Kay’s Car Share.

Meanwhile, comedy legend Sir Lenny Henry received the BAFTA Special Award for his outstanding contribution to television and used his speech to renew his call for the BBC to include diversity as part of its charter.

He hoped that “all those 14-year-olds out there superglued to their phones who hope to work in TV irrespective of their race, gender sexuality, class, disability, can realise that ambition as I was able to realise mine – if we do this we will make this fantastic industry even greater”.

Finally, comedy writers Ray Galton and Alan Simpson were honoured with the BAFTA Fellowship for their work on various sitcoms, including Hancock’s Half Hour (1954-61) and Steptoe and Son (1962-74).

The full list of major BAFTA winners are…

BEST DRAMA SERIES
WOLF HALL

BEST MINISERIES
THIS IS ENGLAND ’90

BEST SINGLE DRAMA
DON’T TAKE MY BABY

BEST LEADING ACTRESS
Suranne Jones, DOCTOR FOSTER

BEST LEADING ACTOR
Mark Rylance, WOLF HALL

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Chanel Cresswell, THIS IS ENGLAND ’90

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Tom Courtenay, UNFORGOTTEN

BEST SCRIPTED COMEDY
PETER KAY’S CAR SHARE

BEST FEMALE PERFORMANCE IN A COMEDY PROGRAMME
Michaela Coel, CHEWING GUM

BEST MALE PERFORMANCE IN A COMEDY PROGRAMME
Peter Kay, PETER KAY’S CAR SHARE

BEST SOAP & CONTINUING DRAMA
EASTENDERS

BEST INTERNATIONAL
TRANSPARENT

BEST COMEDY AND COMEDY ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAMME
HAVE I GOT NEWS FOR YOU

BEST ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAMME
STRICTLY COME DANCING

BEST ENTERTAINMENT PERFORMANCE
Leigh Francis, CELEBRITY JUICE

BEST FACTUAL SERIES
THE MURDER DETECTIVES

BEST SINGLE DOCUMENTARY
MY SON THE JIHADI

BEST FEATURES
THE GREAT BRITISH BAKE OFF

BEST REALITY AND CONSTRUCTED FACTUAL
FIRST DATES

BEST SPECIALIST FACTUAL
BRITAIN’S FORGOTTEN SLAVE OWNERS

BEST CURRENT AFFAIRS
OUTBREAK: THE TRUTH ABOUT EBOLA

BEST NEWS COVERAGE
CHANNEL 4 NEWS: PARIS MASSACRE

BEST LIVE EVENT
BIG BLUE LIVE

BEST SPORT
THE ASHES

RADIO TIMES AUDIENCE AWARD (VOTED FOR BY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC)
POLDARK

Meanwhile, the BAFTA Craft winners can be found in the following link: https://awards.bafta.org/award/2016/tvcraft

Be the first to comment on "2016 TV BAFTAs: Wolf Hall and Peter Kay’s Car Share win big"

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published.


*