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Daily Mail
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Martin Freeman, 53, shares a giggle with girlfriend Rachel Benaissa, 30, as French actress kicks off her heels after the BAFTA TV Awards
was in good spirits as he departed the BAFTA TV Awards alongside French actress girlfriend Rachel Benaissa on Sunday. The actor, 53, appeared happier than ever as he shared a giggle with his glamorous partner, 30, as they exited The Royal Festival Hall. Martin, who missed out on the Lead Actor gong to Lennie James, was spotted chatting to Gavin and Stacy star Rob Brydon. The couple looked to have had a good evening as Rachel kicked off her heels and waited for their car barefoot. Earlier in the night, Martin and Rachel put on a loved-up display as they cosied up for a sweet photo. Martin looked handsome as ever in a black two-piece suit which he layered over a crisp pale blue shirt. Martin finished his sophisticated look with a modest dickie bow, shiny leather black shoes as he posed with Rachel on the star-studded red carpet. As usual, the Sherlock star was supported by his other half, Rachel, who looked classy in an ankle-length red dress. Her one-sleeved garment featured an elegant scarf which draped over her shoulder and showcased her unique arm tattoos. She added inches in her frame as she slipped into a pair of gold strapped sandals and chunky gold hoops. Martin was up for Lead Actor at the ceremony for his part as troubled police response officer Chris Carson in BBC One hard-hitting drama The Responder. The award-winning BBC crime drama The Responder has been shelved despite having a perfect 100% Rotten Tomatoes score and Hollywood talent. The Responder has aired two successful series since it first aired in 2022 and is based in Liverpool. Martin who had been demoted from inspector and struggled to keep a grip on his mental health as he dealt with work and his personal life. However, insiders have revealed that the popular crime show, created by Tony Schumacher, will not be made into a third season just yet, according to The Sun. A source told the publication: 'The BBC are really invested in the series but due to schedules the show has had to be put on ice. 'Tony is currently working on another project but there is a hope a third series will be made at some point in the future.' Martin and Rachel come across as a rock solid showbiz couple, despite keeping their relationship so low key that it's easy for fans to forget they're together. The pair have been in a relationship for around five years, following his split from his ex-partner of 16 years, Amanda Abbington, who admits she was a 'mess' following their breakup in 2016, which came about after they 'just couldn't live with each other anymore'. While it's unclear when Martin found love again with Rachel, the couple were first spotted together in 2020 and she appears to have formed a strong bond with his children Joe and Grace. Martin went public with his romance with the Toulouse-born actress in 2021 but the pair are fiercely private about their relationship and she recently deleted her Instagram account which gave fans a handful of glimpses into the couple's relationship. However, Rachel is happy to play the supportive partner and she's often by Martin's side on the red carpet to promote his film and TV projects. She added inches in her frame as she slipped into a pair of gold strapped sandals and chunky gold hoops 2025 BAFTA TV AWARD WINNERS AT A GLANCE Drama Series - Blue Lights (BBC One) Limited Drama - Mr Bates vs the Post Office (ITV1) International - Shogun (Disney+) - WINNER Scripted Comedy - Alma's Not Normal (BBC Two) Entertainment - Would I Lie To You? (BBC One) Entertainment Performance - Joe Lycett, Late Night Lycett (Channel 4) Strictly Come Dancing: Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell's Waltz to You'll Never Walk Alone (BBC One) Factual Entertainment - Rob and Rylan's Grand Tour (BBC Two) Factual Series - To Catch a Copper (Channel 4) Specialist Factual - Atomic People (BBC Two) Live Event Coverage - Glastonbury 2024 (BBC Two) News Coverage - BBC Breakfast: Post Office Special (BBC One) Single Documentary - Ukraine: Enemy In The Woods (BBC Two) Leading Actress - Marisa Abela, Industry (BBC One) Leading Actor - Lennie James, Mr Loverman (BBC One) Supporting Actress - Jessica Gunning, Baby Reindeer (Netflix) Supporting Actor - Ariyon Bakare, Mr Loverman (BBC One) Female Performance in a Comedy - Ruth Jones, Gavin & Stacey (BBC One) Male Performance in a Comedy - Danny Dyer, Mr Big Stuff (Sky Comedy) Reality - The Jury: Murder Trial (Channel 4) Soap - EastEnders (BBC One) Daytime - Clive Myrie's Caribbean Adventure (BBC Two) - WINNER Current Affairs - State of Rage (Channel 4) Shortform - Quiet Life (BBC Three) Sport - Paris 2024 Olympics (BBC Sport) Children's Non Scripted - FYI Investigates: Disability and Me (Sky Kids) Children's Scripted - CBeebies As You Like It at Shakespeare's Globe (CBeebies) The 2025 BAFTA Television Awards with P&O Cruises saw a slew of celebrities take home awards celebrating excellence in TV on Sunday, at the glitzy ceremony held in the Southbank Centre's Royal Festival Hall. Mr. Bates vs The Post Office led the big winners of the evening, scoring two more awards to add to the ground-breaking ITV show's ever-growing list of accolades. However, it was the BBC who came out on top, scoring 17 wins in total after a year of triumphant programming, in the ceremony - presented this year by actor Alan Cumming. While Netflix smash Baby Reindeer and the climactic Gavin & Stacey Christmas special also won key awards. Widely expected to claim much of Sunday evening's spotlight, Mr. Bates vs The Post Office picked up an early award for Limited Drama. Accepting the gong from Russell Tovey and Daniel Mays, producer Patrick Spencer said: 'We could only film this because Polly Hill at ITV saved us from getting cancelled and this story only had the impact it did because the people who watched it stood up as one and demanded action with such rage, that the government had no choice but to respond. 'Our show didn't change the law, the people of this nation did. They showed in their response to Mr. Bates vs The Post Office that our country cannot abide liars and bullies.' He added: 'May it be a warning to those who are supposed to have our backs, that they better not abuse their power. Mr. Bates vs The Post Office led the big winners of the evening, scoring two more awards to add to the ground-breaking ITV show's ever-growing list of accolades (Toby Jones, Monica Dolan and Alan Bates pictured) 'When accepting this award, we would like to go on record that being trusted by the post-masters to tell their story has been the greatest privilege of our lives.' ITV went on to claim a Special Award, presented by Baroness Floella Benjamin - for its work in commissioning Mr. Bates vs The Post Office. Urging Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's Labour government to rush through arranged compensation payments for affected former postal employees, ITV boss Kevin Lygo said: 'Hurry up and pay these people what they are due.' The night began with Jessica Gunning collecting the award for Best Actress after winning accolades for her portrayal of crazed stalker Martha in Richard Gatt's hugely successful Netflix drama Baby Reindeer. Danny Dyer then forced the BBC to do some quick editing, after he let slip several swear words during his acceptance speech for best Male Performance in a Comedy. The actor, 47, won his first BAFTA for his role as Lee in Mr. Bigstuff, and allowed his excitement to get the better of him in his typically expletive-laden speech. After first saying: 'F***ing hell, I'm choked up', the EastEnders star then shared a sweet and hilarious tribute to Mr. Bigstuff writer and his co-star Ryan Sampson, which led him to turning the air blue once more. Danny said: 'But I got to dedicate this to Ryan Sampson. One of the greatest things to come out of Rotherham. Which is not saying much. 'But one of the best actors this country's ever produced, I'm telling you. Never done the same thing twice. Which is not something I can say. 'He wrote this part for me, so you know... I'm getting choked up again, f**k me. So you won this for me mate, I really appreciate it, thank you so much.' He finished by addressing his two daughters Dani, 28, and Sunnie, 18, who were sat in the audience and took the opportunity to swear one last time, declaing: 'Girls, Sunnie and Dani. I've done it girls, I've f***ing done it!' However, the BBC were less than impressed by the star breaking the watershed, with host Alan being forced to say: 'I've been asked to apologise for the naughty language there.' And when the moment was aired just an hour later, the broadcaster made sure to trim down Danny's speech and cut out all of his curses. Alan later accidentally let slip a swear word of his own, while presenting the prestigious BAFTA Fellowship award to journalist Kirsty Wark. The Scottish star suffered an unfortunate blunder by mistakenly introducing the award as the 'b*****d fellowship', and upon realising his error, the mortified actor let loose yet another swear, as he sheepishly muttered: 'Oh f*** me!' The Fellowship is the highest accolade bestowed by BAFTA upon an individual in recognition of an outstanding and exceptional contribution to film, games or television. It was a special night for Ruth Jones, who accepted the award for female Performance in a Comedy after playing the iconic Nessa for a final time in December's Gavin & Stacey finale Kirsty was honoured for her unwavering dedication and unmatched legacy in the world of news and current affairs broadcasting. It was also a special night for Ruth Jones, who accepted the award for female Performance in a Comedy after playing the iconic Nessa for a final time in December's Gavin & Stacey finale. Accepting the award from Harriet Dyer and Patrick Brammall, she said: 'I really wasn't expecting this, so I wanted to thank the wonderful cast. 'Huge thank you to the BBC, such a fantastic institution which I am so proud to have worked with so many times.' Turning to her writing partner, Ruth added: 'The person I would like to thank most is my dear, kind and talented friend James Corden, with whom I have shared this astonishing journey for 17-years and without whom Vanessa Shanessa Jenson would not have existed.' Hinting at the potential of a new TV project with James, she said: 'I love you James, I love writing with you. Long may it continue.' However the show suffered disappointment in the P&O Cruises Memorable Moment category, with blind comedian Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell's Strictly Come Dancing waltz beating Smithy's wedding to the accolade. Popular BBC show Would I Lie To You claimed the Entertainment Programme accolade (pictured L-R David Mitchell, Rob Brydon and Lee Mack) Scooping one of the biggest awards of the night, British star Marisa Abela won the Leading Actress accolade for her starring role in BBC hit Industry. Collecting her award, the tearful actress said: 'I've been filming Industry for about six years now and (production company) Bad Wolf and HBO, the fact that they let us carry on after season one is mental.' She also said she booked the BBC series, about a group of young finance graduates, in her first year of drama school and said the role of Yasmin 'changed my life' as she has gone on to play the late singer Amy Winehouse in the film Back To Black. Over in the category for Leading Actor, Rivals star David Tennant - one of the favourites for the award - lost out to Lennie James for his starring role in BBC show Mr Loverman. A shocked Lennie admitted he hadn't prepared a speech, as he 'didn't think this was coming my way'. It was the second award of the night for Mr Loverman, with Lennie's co-star Ariyon Bakare winning the Supporting Actor gong earlier that night and giving an emotional speech that moved much of the audience. Popular BBC show Would I Lie To You claimed the Entertainment Programme accolade, with stars Lee Mack, Rob Brydon and David Mitchell causing the audience to crack up with their usual witty banter. David said: 'We have been nominated eight times but this is the first time we have won. They actually abolished the category we were nominated for last year and so we thought next year we would be nominated in news, maybe a short-form drama on something that Prince Andrew has done.' Robert Rinder and Rylan Clark also found themselves among the winners, with BBC show Rob and Rylan's Grand Tour winning the Factual Entertainment award. Elsewhere Joe Lycett beat Stacey Solomon, Romesh Ranganathan, Claudia Winkleman, Graham Norton, Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly to the Entertainment Performance award for Channel 4 show Late Night Lycett. Meanwhile, Glastonbury won its first TV BAFTA in an astonishing 33-years for the BBC's extensive Live Event Coverage of the event at Somerset's Worthy Farm. EastEnders also got in on the act, with the long-running BBC flagship claiming the award for Best Soap as it celebrates its milestone 40th anniversary. The broadcasting giant claimed another gong courtesy of BBC Breakfast, with the morning show winning its first ever TV BAFTA for their Post Office Special. The glitzy ceremony also saw powerful musical performances from pop stars Jessie J and Tom Grennan, marking Jessie's first TV performance in six years. And award-winning concert violinist and social media sensation Esther Abrami performed Apple Tree for the In Memoriam tribute to the TV stars that passed away this year.
Daily Mail
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Martin Freeman, 53, puts on a loved-up display with French actress girlfriend Rachel Benaissa, 30, as she stuns in a red caped gown at BAFTA TV Awards 2025
and French actress girlfriend Rachel Benaissa appeared happier than ever as they made a loved-up appearance on the BAFTA TV Awards 2025 red carpet on Sunday. The actor, 53, is up for a Lead Actor nod at the ceremony for his part in BBC One hard-hitting drama The Responder. And Martin looked handsome as ever in a black two-piece suit which he layered over a crisp pale blue shirt. Martin, who played troubled police response officer Chris Carson, finished his sophisticated look with a modest dickie bow, shiny leather black shoes. As usual, the Sherlock star was supported by his other half, Rachel, who looked classy in an ankle-length red dress. Her one-sleeved garment featured an elegant scarf which draped over her shoulder and showcased her unique arm tattoos. She added inches in her frame as she slipped into a pair of gold strapped sandals and chunky gold hoops. The award-winning BBC crime drama with Hollywood talent has been shelved despite having a perfect 100% Rotten Tomatoes score. The Responder has aired two successful series since it first aired in 2022 and is based in Liverpool. Martin who had been demoted from inspector and struggled to keep a grip on his mental health as he dealt with work and his personal life. However, insiders have revealed that the popular crime show, created by Tony Schumacher, will not be made into a third season just yet, according to The Sun. A source told the publication: 'The BBC are really invested in the series but due to schedules the show has had to be put on ice. 'Tony is currently working on another project but there is a hope a third series will be made at some point in the future.' Martin and Rachel come across as a rock solid showbiz couple, despite keeping their relationship so low key that it's easy for fans to forget they're together. The pair have been in a relationship for around five years, following his split from his ex-partner of 16 years, Amanda Abbington, who admits she was a 'mess' following their breakup in 2016, which came about after they 'just couldn't live with each other anymore'. While it's unclear when Martin found love again with Rachel, the couple were first spotted together in 2020 and she appears to have formed a strong bond with his children Joe and Grace. Martin went public with his romance with the Toulouse-born actress in 2021 but the pair are fiercely private about their relationship and she recently deleted her Instagram account which gave fans a handful of glimpses into the couple's relationship. However, Rachel is happy to play the supportive partner and she's often by Martin's side on the red carpet to promote his film and TV projects. The 2025 BAFTA Television Awards with P&O Cruises is taking place at the Southbank Centre's Royal Festival Hall on Sunday. The star-studded evening will see a slew of celebrities take home awards celebrating excellence in TV, as well as a line-up of standout performances. Global music stars Jessie J and Tom Grennan are both set to put on a show at the ceremony, with powerhouse Jessie singing The Award Goes To as her first TV performance in six years. Meanwhile, multi-platinum popstar Tom will play his brand new track Full Attention, in a TV exclusive. Both performances will air during the awards ceremony on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Sunday 11 May at 7pm. In addition, BAFTA has confirmed award-winning concert violinist and social media sensation Esther Abrami will be performing Apple Tree for the In Memoriam tribute. Speaking about her performance, Jessie J said: 'I haven't sung on British television in years. What a way to come back, it's an honour. But who will the award go to, that's the question.' Meanwhile, Tom added: 'It's a real honour to have been invited by such a prestigious event as BAFTA to perform in front of so many esteemed actors and creatives.' For the first time, Scottish actor, writer, producer and presenter Alan Cumming will host the glitzy eremony. Emma Baehr, Executive Director of Awards & Content at BAFTA, said: 'We're delighted that Alan Cumming will be hosting this year's BAFTA Television Awards with P&O Cruises. 'He will definitely bring a playful sense of mischief and fun to the ceremony, so audiences should expect the unexpected at Britain's biggest celebration of TV on Sunday 11 May.' Elsewhere, the nominations for the BAFTA Television Awards 2025 P&O Cruises Memorable Moment Award have been announced. From Gavin and Stacey, to The Traitors and Bridgerton, six of this year's most acclaimed TV shows are set to battle it out for one of the ceremony's biggest accolades. The category is the only award in which the public will be able to have their say and vote for their favourite scene. Last year's BAFTA Television Awards delivered an average audience of 2.7 million on BBC One and iPlayer, whilst social media coverage of the night received over 7 million views. In terms of other nominations, Strictly Come Dancing has been snubbed of a nomination for the first time in the show's 20-year history. The BBC favourite had been nominated in the Entertainment Programme category every year since the rebooted version of the show launched in 2004. Meanwhile, Netflix phenomenon Baby Reindeer led the pack with an incredible eight nominations after it proved a global success following its release last year. Richard Gadd who wrote and starred in the series about his own experiences of being stalked is up for Leading Actor, while his co-star Jessica Gunning is in the running for the Supporting Actress award. In the Limited Drama category, Baby Reindeer will face ITV drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office, which was based on one of the greatest miscarriages of justice in British legal history, where hundreds of innocent sub-postmasters and postmistresses were wrongly accused of theft, fraud and false accounting due to a defective IT system. Mr Bates vs The Post Office received a total of six nominations, while Disney series Rivals and Apple TV's Slow Horses also had the same amount of nods. Ant and Dec, The Traitors and Stacey Solomon's Sort Your Life Out are among the nominees for best entertainment performance. The best leading actress nominees are Anna Maxwell Martin (Until I Kill You), Billie Piper (Scoop), Lola Petticrew (Say Nothing), Marisa Abela (Industry), Monica Dolan (Mr Bates vs The Post Office) and Sharon D Clarke (Mr Loverman). David Tennant (Rivals), Gary Oldman (Slow Horses), Lennie James (Mr Loverman), Martin Freeman (The Responder) and Toby Jones (Mr Bates vs The Post Office) take on Gadd for the best actor accolade. A total of 21 out of 44 nominees in the performance categories have received their first BAFTA Television Awards nomination. Soap star Danny Dyer is among the group who have received their first Bafta nomination in the best male comedy performance category for his role in Mr Bigstuff. In the prestigious best drama category, crime dramas Blue Lights and Sherwood will take on superhero series Supacell and acclaimed period drama Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light. Jane Millichip, CEO of Bafta, said: '2024 was a standout year for television, testified by the 134 brilliant programmes nominated by BAFTA members. 'The power of television to drive national conversation, to tap into the stories of public interest, and to inspire societal change, is second to none. And to do this through every genre is even more impressive. 'The drama of sport, the truth of fiction, the humanity of documentary, the poignancy of comedy, serious entertainment – this year's nominees reflect every aspect of the human condition. 'UK television is at the top of its game, and it is a privilege at Bafta to showcase the work of our incredibly talented nominees at the Bafta Television Craft Awards and Bafta Television Awards with P&O Cruises. Tune into BBC One and BBC iPlayer on May 11, not only to find out who wins, but to inspire your next watchlist.' And the official wine sponsor of the evening, Casillero del Diablo, will once again be the drink of choice for winners, nominees, celebrities, and VIP guests alike. 2025 TV BAFTA NOMINATIONS Drama Series Blue Lights (BBC One) Sherwood (BBC One) Supacell (Netflix) Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light (BBC One) Limited Drama Baby Reindeer (Netflix) Lost Boys and Fairies (BBC One) Mr Bates vs the Post Office (ITV1) One Day (Netflix) International After The Party (Channel 4) Colin From Accounts (BBC Two) Say Nothing (Disney+) Shogun (Disney+) True Detective: Night Country (Sky Atlantic) You Are Not Alone: Fighting The Wolfpack, Netflix Shogun (Disney+) is up for the Best International TV Show award Leading Actress Anna Maxwell Martin, Until I Kill You (ITV1) Billie Piper, Scoop (Netflix) Lola Petticrew, Say Nothing (Disney+) Marisa Abela, Industry (BBC One) Monia Dolan, Mr Bates Vs The Post Office (ITV1) Sharon D Clarke, Mr Loverman (BBC One) Leading Actor David Tennant, Rivals (Disney+) Gary Oldman, Slow Horses (Apple TV+) Lennie James, Mr Loverman (BBC One) Martin Freeman, The Responder (BBC One) Richard Gadd, Baby Reindeer (Netflix) Toby Jones, Mr Bates Vs The Post Office (ITV1) Female Performance in a Comedy Anjana Vasan, We Are Lady Parts (Channel 4) Kate O'Flynn, Everyone Else Burns Channel 4) Lolly Adefope, The Franchise (Sky Comedy) Nicola Coughlan, Big Mood (Channel 4) Ruth Jones, Gavin & Stacey (BBC One) Sophie Willan, Alma's Not Normal (BBC Two) David Tennant is up for the Leading Actor award for his role in Rivals Scripted Comedy Alma's Not Normal (BBC Two) Brassic (Sky Max) G'Wed (ITV1) Ludwig (BBC One) Specialist Factual Atomic People (BBC Two) Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story (National Geographic) Children of the Cult (ITV1) Miners' Strike 1984: The Battle For Britain (Channel 4) Reality Dragons' Den (BBC One) The Jury: Murder Trial (Channel 4) Love Is Blind (Channel 4) The Traitors (BBC One) Current Affairs Storyville: Life and Death in Gaza (BBC) Maternity: Broken Trust (ITV1) State of Rage (Channel 4) Ukraine's War: The Other Side (ITV1) Shortform Brown Brit (Channel 4) Peaked (Channel 4) Quiet Life (BBC Three) Spud (BBC Three) BBC's Race Across The World is nominated is Factual Entertainment Factual Entertainment In Vogue: The 90s (Vogue Studios, Disney+) Race Across The World (BBC One) Rob and Rylan's Grand Tour (BBC Two) Sort Your Life Out (BBC One) Children's Scripted CBeebies As You Like It at Shakespeare's Globe (CBeebies) Horrible Histories (CBBC) Ready Eddie Go! (Sky Kids)Tweedy & Fluff (Channel 5) P&O Cruises Memorable Moment Bridgerton: The carriage scene, where Colin admits his true feelings for Penelope (Netflix) Gavin & Stacey: The Finale: Smithy's wedding, when Mick stands up (BBC One) Mr Bates Vs The Post Office: Jo Hamilton phones the Horizon helpline (ITV1) Rivals: Rupert Campbell-Black and Sarah Stratton are caught in a game of naked tennis (Disney+) Strictly Come Dancing: Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell waltz to You'll Never Walk Alone (BBC One) Traitors: 'Paul isn't my son … but Ross is!' (BBC One) Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell's Strictly waltz are up for P&O Cruises Memorable Moment Male Performance in a Comedy Performance Bilal Hasna, Extraordinary (Disney+) Danny Dyer, Mr Big Stuff (Sky Comedy) Dylan Thomas-Smith, G'wed (ITV2) Nabhaan Rizwan, Kaos (Netflix) Oliver Savell, Changing Ends (ITV1) Phil Dunning, Smoggie Queens (BBC Three) Danny Dyer is up for Male Performance in a Comedy Performance for Mr Big Stuff Supporting Actor Ariyon Bakare, Mr Loverman (BBC One) Christopher Chung, Slow Horses (Apple TV+) Damian Lewis, Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light (BBC One) Jonathan Pryce, Slow Horses (Apple TV+) McKinley Belcher III, Eric (Netflix) Sonny Walker, The Gathering (Channel 4) Supporting Actress Jessica Gunning, Baby Reindeer (Netflix) Katherine Parkinson, Rivals (Disney+) Maxine Peake, Say Nothing (Disney+) Monica Dolan, Sherwood (BBC One) Nava Mau, Baby Reindeer (Netflix) Sue Johnston, Truelove (Channel) The 1% Club is up for Best Entertainment Show Entertainment The 1% Club (ITV1) Michael McIntyre's Big Show (BBC One) Taskmaster (Channel 4) Would I Lie To You? (BBC One) Entertainment Performance Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly, Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway (ITV1) Claudia Winkleman, The Traitors (BBC One) Graham Norton, The Graham Norton Show (BBC One) Joe Lycett, Late Night Lycett (Channel 4) Romesh Ranganathan and Rob Beckett, Rob & Romesh Vs (Sky Max) Stacey Solomon, Sort Your Life Out (BBC One) Factual Series American Nightmare (Netflix) Freddie Flintoff's Field of Dreams on Tour (BBC One) The Push: Murder on the Cliff (Channel 4) To Catch a Copper (Channel 4) Stacey Solomon is up for Entertainment Performance for Sort Your Life Out Live Event Coverage D-Day 80: Tribute To The Fallen (BBC One) Glastonbury 2024 (BBC Two) Last Night of The Proms (BBC Two) News Coverage BBC Breakfast: Post Office Special (BBC One) Channel 4 News: Inside Sednaya (Channel 4) Channel 4 News: Undercover Inside Reform's Campaign (Channel 4) Single Documentary Hell Jumper (BBC Two) Tell Them You Love Me (Sky Documentaries) Ukraine: Enemy In The Woods (BBC Two) Undercover: Exposing The Far Right (Channel 4) Soap Casualty (BBC One) Coronation Street (ITV1) EastEnders (BBC One) Sport Euro 2024 (BBC Sport) Paris 2024 Olympics (BBC Sport) Wimbledon (BBC Sport) Loose Women is up for Best Daytime Show Daytime Clive Myrie's Caribbean Adventure (BBC Two) Loose Women (ITV1) Morning Live (BBC One) Richard Osman's House of Games (BBC Two) Children's Non Scripted BoosNoo! (Sky Kids) FYI Investigates: Disability and Me (Sky Kids) Operation Ouch! (CBBC) Reu and Harper's Wonder World (Channel 5)
The Irish Sun
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
TV Baftas 2025: Tasha Ghouri and Ella Morgan lead the glamour as stars arrive on glitzy red carpet
TASHA Ghouri and Ella Morgan dressed to impress as they brought glam to today's TV Baftas in London. The Strictly finalist wowed in a white corseted dress that showcased her slender middle, while Mafs' Ella caught the eye in a black dress with a huge white feathered train. Advertisement 4 Tasha Ghouri looked stunning on the TV Baftas red carpet Credit: Getty 4 Ella Morgan made a statement with her trans positive bag Credit: Getty 4 Ashley James looked elegant in an off the shoulder gown Credit: Getty 4 Laura Whitmore swapped a dress for a black and white tailored suit Credit: Getty The event is guaranteed to be a boozy affair as the great and good of the TV world celebrate their successes. And as the TV Baftas official wine partner, Casillero del Diablo will have them covered with bottles of red, white and rosé filling the tables. Meanwhile, this year's nominations closely align with what went down well with viewers over the course of the past year. Advertisement READ MORE ON TV BAFTAS Reality favourite The Traitors, entertainment shows Saturday Night Take- away and Michael McIntyre's Big Show plus hit dramas Blue Lights and The Responder have all been nominated. And fan favourites such as Strictly, Graham Norton and Dragons' Den are in the running, too. Telly hardman Danny Dyer has been nominated for his first Bafta this year – after swapping Albert Square for a Sky comedy drama. He could take home the gong for Male Performance In A Comedy for his role as estranged brother Lee Campbell in hit series Mr Bigstuff. Advertisement Most read in News TV Exclusive The ex-soap star also appeared in Disney+ series Rivals, which is up for three awards – Memorable Moment, There are some notable omissions too, with Gavin & Stacey snubbed for an award in the comedy category, despite a record-breaking 19million viewers watching the finale last Christmas. However, it could still take home a gong thanks to actress and writer Ruth Jones. Ruth, who plays Nessa, competes against the likes of Nicola Coughlan, Kate O'Flynn and Sophie Willan for Female Performance In A Comedy. Advertisement BAFTA TV 2025 nominations Drama series Blue Lights - BBC One Sherwood - BBC One Supacell - Netflix Wolf Hall: The Mirror And The Light - BBC One Limited drama Baby Reindeer - Netflix Lost Boys And Fairies - BBC One Mr Bates Vs The Post Office - ITV1 One Day - Netflix Scripted comedy Alma's Not Normal (BBC Two) Brassic (Sky Max) G'Wed (ITV1) Ludwig (BBC One) Leading actress Anna Maxwell Martin - Until I Kill You (ITV1) Billie Piper - Scoop (Netflix) Lola Petticrew - Say Nothing (Disney+) Marisa Abela - Industry (BBC One) Monica Dolan - Mr Bates vs The Post Office (ITV1) Sharon D Clarke - Mr Loverman (BBC One) Leading actor David Tennant - Rivals (Disney+) Gary Oldman - Slow Horses (Apple TV+) Lennie James - Mr Loverman (BBC One) Martin Freeman - The Responder (BBC One) Richard Gadd - Baby Reindeer (Netflix) Toby Jones - Mr Bates vs The Post Office (ITV1) Supporting actress Jessica Gunning - Baby Reindeer (Netflix) Katherine Parkinson - Rivals (Disney+) Maxine Peake - Say Nothing - (Disney+) Monica Dolan - Sherwood (BBC One) Nava Mau - Baby Reindeer (Netflix) Sue Johnston - Truelove (Channel 4) Supporting actor Ariyon Bakare, Mr Loverman (BBC One) Christopher Chung, Slow Horses (Apple TV+) Damian Lewis, Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light (BBC One Jonathan Pryce, Slow Horses (Apple TV+) McKinley Belcher III, Eric (Netflix) Sonny Walker, The Gathering (Channel 4) Female performance in a comedy Anjana Vasan - We Are Lady Parts (Channel 4) Kate O'Flynn - Everyone Else Burns (Channel 4) Lolly Adefope - The Franchise (Sky Comedy) Nicola Coughlan - Big Mood (Channel 4) Ruth Jones - Gavin & Stacey: The Finale (BBC One) Sophie Willan - Alma's Not Normal (BBC Two) Male performance in a comedy Bilal Hasna - Extraordinary (Disney+) Danny Dyer - Mr Bigstuff (Sky Comedy) Dylan Thomas-Smith - G'Wed (ITV2) Nabhaan Rizwan - Kaos – Sister (Netflix) Oliver Savell- Changing Ends (ITV1) Phil Dunning - Smoggie Queens (BBC Three) Soap Casualty (BBC One) Coronation Street (ITV1) EastEnders (BBC One) Entertainment programme The 1% Club (ITV1) Michael McIntyre's Big Show (BBC One) Taskmaster (Channel 4) Would I Lie To You? 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The Independent
23-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
This City Is Ours star James Nelson-Joyce: ‘I thought kids like me don't act'
When James Nelson-Joyce was in his first year of drama school, he was told that he'd better lose his accent because he wouldn't work much as a scouser. It's safe to say that he's since proved that assertion completely wrong by, well, working a lot as a scouser (and giving some indelible performances in the process). In a truly unsettling turn in Jimmy McGovern's 2021 drama Time, he played Johnno, the prison bully who tormented Sean Bean's character Mark Cobden; he was responsible for one of the show's most talked-about (read: harrowing) scenes, involving a bag of sugar, a kettle filled with boiling water and another inmate's face. He's also appeared in the Liverpool -set thriller The Responder, cropped up in Industry and played the bad guy in Stephen Merchant's comedy The Outlaws. Later this year, he'll star in the new season of Black Mirror. Few of these parts have been particularly breezy, to say the least; most are firmly situated on the wrong 'un end of the character spectrum. And Nelson-Joyce is so convincing in those roles that I'm half expecting some spiky version of one of them to come through the doors of the coffee shop where we meet, just around the corner from Liverpool's main shopping street. Off screen, though, he couldn't seem further from that persona. 'You know what, everyone comes up to me and says, 'you were horrible in that' or, 'I was scared to come over',' he laughs, shaking his head. The 35-year-old grew up in Walton, in the north of the city, and has recently arrived back after a stint in London promoting A Thousand Blows, the brutal, propulsive drama about East End bare knuckle boxers, written by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight. It was his first proper period piece (and required some proper period sideburns). Stepping onto the hyper-realistic Victorian set made him feel 'like a kid in a candy shop, [thinking] 'I'm not supposed to be doing this!''. In the show, Nelson-Joyce plays Treacle, younger brother to ageing prize fighter Henry 'Sugar' Goodson, played by his offscreen friend and mentor Stephen Graham (he does a pretty good rendition of the actor, who's from nearby Kirkby, phoning him up to give him a quick rundown of the role). For this one, both Liverpudlians played cockneys – and faced off in some truly wrenching scenes, emotionally and physically. 'We trust each other, and that brotherly chemistry was there for free,' says Nelson-Joyce. 'Me and Stephen are both open books. But men in that age were very stoic, they didn't really talk about problems or issues. They still don't now, do they, really?' His next big project sees him back on home turf, taking the lead role in the BBC's sweeping new crime drama This City Is Ours alongside his Time co-star Bean ('working with Sean, honestly, it's a doddle'). Nelson-Joyce plays Michael, a drug dealer and protégé of organised crime boss Ronnie (Bean). The two have a twisted father-son dynamic, the older man a sort of 'surrogate father' to the younger, despite his having 'kind of groomed Michael' into a life of crime. As the series opens, Bean's character is looking to retire to his sprawling house on the Wirral, on the other side of the Mersey, and to hand over the business to Michael. But Ronnie's real son, Jamie (Jack McMullen), isn't happy with this succession plan, and the power struggle that ensues is a brutal one. And in counterpoint to all those machinations, we also see Michael trying to start a family with his girlfriend Diana (Hannah Onslow), with the couple going through fertility treatment. Nelson-Joyce is one of those actors who can slip from vulnerability to violence, and vice versa, with disconcerting speed; it's a role that certainly makes good use of that knack. The story held his attention from the off. 'I'm dyslexic, so when it comes to me getting scripts in, I usually have to read 10, 15 pages, put it down and come back to it, just because I lose concentration,' Nelson-Joyce says. 'I don't know if that's a bit of ADHD as well. But I genuinely read all three episodes [sent over] in the space of three and a half hours, four hours. It [was] a page-turner, and I remember thinking to myself, 'I'm not letting anyone else play this character'.' Although, he admits, a touch of imposter syndrome still crept in, with a voice in his head telling him: 'They're gonna want someone really famous for this' or 'I haven't got that profile that a lot of actors have'. His first scene on location in Liverpool was filmed round the corner from his old flat; another was near his school, and 'when we were doing stuff on the street, I'd have mates walking past, or family members. It was a bit weird, but I loved it'. It's a telegenic place – not for nothing is Liverpool the second most-filmed city in the UK, outside of London – but it looks especially good in this series. 'I just want to show the city off as much as I can,' he says, 'and, whenever I can, to use my accent in a project'. He sees Michael as someone who, 'if he was given the opportunities', would thrive on a more legitimate path. 'I think that's the case for a lot of people. We all need an opportunity. And I'm fortunate that I got mine.' Growing up, Nelson-Joyce describes himself as 'not the cleverest kid in school', a 'bit of a class clown'. He 'wanted to be a footballer, wasn't good enough' (he's a Liverpool fan; when his phone rings, it does so to the strains of Gerry and the Pacemakers) but he used to 'put accents on' while reading in his English class, to get his teacher's attention. She put him forward to do a speaking and listening exam and suggested that he pursue acting. 'And I thought, 'kids like me don't act.'' When he went to college – 'God, I was at that college for five years… I was a nuisance!' – he started watching the work of local actors like Graham and Pete Postlethwaite and realised: 'People from my walk of life do this.' His parents, he says, were 'made up' when he decided to take acting seriously and try out for drama school. 'As long as I wasn't up to no good… It was never like, 'you can't do that, you've got to get a proper job'. And anyone who knows me knows you can't say that to me anyway, because I'm stubborn.' But if it wasn't for a chance meeting with Graham more than a decade ago, Nelson-Joyce says, 'I don't know where I'd be'. They crossed paths not in a rehearsal room or on a set, but in a London branch of Nando's. Nelson-Joyce was fresh out of drama school and had 'just come out of an audition' – and when he saw Graham, 'the reason why I got into acting', having dinner with his wife (fellow actor Hannah Walters), he 'thought, 'you know what, f*** it, I'll go over and say hello''. He ended up chatting to them about his ambitions (and taking a selfie), before leaving the couple to their peri-peri. Later, 'Hannah comes over and she says, 'There's something about you. Here's my email. If you're ever in anything, or you're ever on the telly, just send me an email and we'll watch it.'' But when he ended up getting 'bit parts' in Casualty and Shameless, he was 'too embarrassed' to take Walters up on that: 'Oh I'm on telly tonight, with my two lines,' he jokes, imagining his email. A few years passed, and Nelson-Joyce was cast as a gang member in Little Boy Blue, the drama based on the murder of Rhys Jones, the 11-year-old boy caught in the crossfire while walking home from football practice in Liverpool in 2007. Graham had signed up to play the police officer tasked with bringing the killer to justice. The weight of this real-life story inevitably hung over the cast, so Nelson-Joyce was glad to see a familiar face at the first table read. 'I just felt these eyes burning in my head, and I look up and it's Stephen. And he just goes, 'are you that lad from Nando's? Boss that, lad!'' Graham was impressed with how Nelson-Joyce handled the role and recommended him to his agent. He doesn't hold back when it comes to praising the support that the older actor has provided since. 'He's put me in front of so many doors and helped me open them. OK, I've had to work, and I've worked hard, but [Graham] is a bit of a saving grace for working-class actors.' He cites the recent statistic that only eight per cent of people in television and film are from a working-class background. 'It's not good enough. And then you've got drama schools charging an arm and a leg even to audition. It's just harder. I think Stephen and Hannah realise that they have a platform and they can create opportunities.' He tries to follow their example now when he works with younger actors ('I sound like a w***** saying this,' he caveats) because 'I know how important it is to get that opportunity, even if it's just to ask for advice: to say, how do I get into this industry? What do I wear to an audition?' He recalls how, before an audition for Shameless, he was told by a teacher to 'go wearing smart clothes – for Shameless!' he says, eyebrows raised. When he arrived, he ended up talking to the casting director about Shakespeare, 'saying all the right things. And he let me waffle along for a couple of minutes, then he goes, 'you're lying! Just make yourself at home.'' It taught him, he says, that he didn't actually have to pretend to be some idealised version of a drama student in order to succeed. 'That's the thing. There's only ever one of you. There's such pressure to be like, 'I have to be an actor '. It's all b*****ks. Be yourself.'
