All the winners from the TV BAFTAs as Kate Winslet and Ben Whishaw secure gongs | Ents & Arts News

It was a night of glitz and glamour, with the stars descending on the Royal Festival Hall for the biggest night in the UK television calendar.

Oscar-winning actress Kate Winslet picked up an award for best leading actress while Ben Whishaw took the gong for leading actor for his performance as the under-pressure doctor in This Is Going to Hurt.

The night was not without its surprises though, with long-running drama Casualty beating EastEnders, Emmerdale and last year’s winner Coronation Street for best soap and continuing drama.

And child actor Lenny Rush, 14, from Daisy May Cooper’s dark comedy Am I Being Unreasonable? also won the award for best male performance in a comedy programme – beating the likes of Daniel Radcliffe, Jon Pointing and Matt Berry.

Meanwhile, The Masked Singer also fought off competition from Ant And Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway and Strictly Come Dancing to win best entertainment programme.

During the night, Sir Mo Farah, who won a BAFTA award for his BBC One documentary The Real Mo Farah, dedicated his documentary to “children who are being trafficked”.

Ben Whishaw, with the award for Leading Actor, for This Is Going To Hurt, at the Bafta Television Awards 2023 at the Royal Festival Hall, London. Picture date: Sunday May 14, 2023.
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Ben Whishaw
Sir Mo Farah and his partner Tania, with the award for Single Documentary, for The Real Mo Farah, at the Bafta Television Awards 2023 at the Royal Festival Hall, London. Picture date: Sunday May 14, 2023.
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Sir Mo Farah and his partner Tania

Collecting the prize at the event, the four-time Olympic champion said he hoped his story showed the “kids who have no say at all” that “they are not alone”.

He said: “The kids have no say at all, they are just kids and no child should ever go through what I did, I hope my story shows they aren’t alone, we are in it together.”

The award show also saw the musical drama Mood, which tells the story of a budding singer trying to make it in the industry, take the award for best mini-series.

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Creator and writer Nicole Lecky thanked the women who entrusted her with their stories and dedicated her award to her mother who passed away when she was 19 years old.

“It was such an uphill battle in life,” she said.

“For me to be stood here, I hope it inspires others who have been through something that is insurmountable.”

Also picking up the award for best feature show was Joe Lycett Vs Beckham: Got Your Back at Xmas which saw the comedian lock horns with the former footballer last year to highlight the true cost of the Qatar World Cup.

Claudia Winkleman with the award for Entertainment Performance, The Traitors, at the Bafta Television Awards 2023 at the Royal Festival Hall, London. Picture date: Sunday May 14, 2023.
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Claudia Winkleman
(Left to right) Eva Birthistle, Sarah Greene, Sharon Horgan and Anne-Marie Duff, with the award for Drama Series, for Bad Sisters, at the Bafta Television Awards 2023 at the Royal Festival Hall, London. Picture date: Sunday May 14, 2023.
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(Left to right) Eva Birthistle, Sarah Greene, Sharon Horgan and Anne-Marie Duff, with the award for Drama Series, for Bad Sisters

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While Lycett was not present to pick up his award, a member of his production team read a statement from the comedian on stage in which he thanked Channel 4 for its support and dedicated the award to the “people still being oppressed in Qatar”.

Here is a full rundown of the winners

  • Female performance in a comedy programme: Siobhan McSweeney – Derry Girls
  • Reality and constructed factual: The Traitors
  • Short form programme: How To Be A Person
  • Specialist factual: Russia 1985-1999: Traumazone
  • Daytime: The Repair Shop: A Royal Visit
  • Sports coverage: Uefa Women’s Euro 2022
  • Male performance in a comedy programme: Lenny Rush – Am I Being Unreasonable?
  • Entertainment Programme: The Masked Singer
  • Supporting actress: Anne-Marie Duff – Bad Sisters
  • Current affairs: Children Of The Taliban
  • News coverage: Channel 4 News: Live In Kyiv
  • Single drama: I Am Ruth
  • Mini-series: Mood
  • International: Dahmer-Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story
  • Feature: Joe Lycett vs Beckham: Got Tour Back At Xmas
  • Drama series: Bad Sisters
  • Factual series: Libby, Are You Home Yet?
  • Single documentary: The Real Mo Farah
  • Comedy entertainment programme: Friday Night Live
  • Soap and continuing drama: Casualty
  • Live event: Platinum Jubilee – Party At The Palace
  • Entertainment performance: Claudia Winkleman – The Traitors
  • Special awards: David Olusoga
  • P&O Cruises Memorable moment: Platinum Jubilee – Party At The Palace Paddington Meets The Queen
  • Supporting actor: Adeel Akhtar – Sherwood
  • Leading actor: Ben Whishaw – This Is Going To Hurt
  • Leading actress: Kate Winslet – I Am Ruth
  • Scripted comedy: Derry Girls

The ceremony also saw actress Siobhan McSweeney win best female performance in a comedy programme for her role as headteacher Sister Michael in the hit comedy Derry Girls.

In her humorous speech she said: “To the people in Derry, thank you taking me into your hearts and your living rooms.”

She also hit out at leaders in Dublin, Stormont and Westminster, adding: “In the words of my beloved Sister Michael, ‘it’s time they started to wise up’.”

Other poignant speeches came from Winslet who won the best actress award for her performance in Channel 4’s drama I Am Ruth, which sees the actress witness her real-life daughter Mia Threapleton retreat into herself due to the pressures of social media.

Kate Winslet and Mia Threapleton attending the Bafta Television Awards 2023 at the Royal Festival Hall, London. Picture date: Sunday May 14, 2023.
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Kate Winslet and Mia Threapleton

In an emotional speech, Winslet said: “If I could break it in half, I would give the other half to my daughter, we did this together, kiddo.”

The actress also said that “small British television dramas can be mighty” and mental health stories such as this one “need to be heard”.

It was the second appearance from Winslet who joined the team of I Am Ruth on stage earlier in the night as they accepted the BAFTA TV award for single drama.