Top Boy and Happy Valley were the big winners at this year’s TV Baftas, where Romesh Ranganathan and Rob Beckett were on presenting duties and Lorraine Kelly and Floella Benjamin were both honoured for their careers in broadcasting.
But let’s be honest… we all know that big awards shows like this are as much about those surprising and unpredictable moments than anything else.
On that note, for those who missed this year’s ceremony, here are 23 must-see moments from the TV Baftas…
Let’s start on the red carpet, where it’s always a total joy to see Hannah WaddinghamJoe Maher via Getty Images
And the same has to be said for David and Georgia TennantJoe Maher via Getty Images
Joe Maher via Getty Images
There was also a reunion for Baby Reindeer’s Jessica Gunning and Richard Gadd on the red carpetLia Toby via Getty Images
Richard was seen wearing a pin in support of We Are Survivors, a charity who help male survivors of sexual abuse Richard was among the guests at the 2024 TV BaftasNeil Mockford via Getty Images
Hosts Romesh Ranganathan and Rob Beckett kicked things off with a monologue that definitely raised a smile (we particularly enjoyed Romesh reminding the actors in attendance that it’s ‘impossible to fall in love with a script’)The first winner of the night was Top Boy’s Jasmine Jobson – who clearly wasn’t expecting her win
Hannah Waddingham had us howling with her reaction to losing out in the Best Entertainment Programme categoryAnd Claudia Winkleman wrapped up Strictly Come Dancing’s victory speech brilliantly, with a gag about how she and Tess Daly are ‘in a throuple with Dave Arch’This led into a dance performance inspired by Peaky Blinders that we don’t think anyone could have seen comingMawaan Rizwan’s face suggested he definitely hadn’t anticipated picking up the Best Male Comedy Performance awardBBC
And he ended his speech with one of the best lines of the night: ‘Thank you to my therapist. We literally had a conversation this week about how I need to stop relying on external forms of validation. Bad timing!’
Meanwhile, Gbemisola Ikumelo ended her Best Female Comedy Performance speech with an important message about picking up and carrying on after setbacks
Danny Dyer joked that he and Aidan Turner looked ‘like a before and after picture’ when they made an unlikely presenting duoStuart Wilson/BAFTA via Getty Images
We absolutely loved Liz Carr joking that her TV habits include watching reruns of herself on Silent Witness
And how great was it to see Ellie Simmonds winning the Best Single Documentary prize?The ‘In Memoriam’ tributes included a special mention for Matthew Perry that moved Friends fans to tearsWho knew Succession’s Brian Cox was such a Lorraine Kelly fan, eh?And after being given the Special Award, Lorraine’s speech summed up everything that’s made her such a TV favourite in the last four decades
Stuart Wilson/BAFTA via Getty Images
Meanwhile, Floella Benjamin’s Bafta Fellowship acceptance speech was equal parts powerful and joyousJoe Lycett thanked his mum and dad ‘Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII’ as he joked: ‘I lost a bet, hence this. I’m so hot and I need a piss.’
John Phillips/BAFTA via Getty Images
After being caught short without a speech, we loved Timothy Spall telling people to ‘look it all up on IMDB and you’ll see who was involved’
And what better way can there be to end a TV awards show than a speech from Sarah Lancashire?
