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BAFTA confirms new dates and hosts for Television Awards 2020

29 May 2020
  • Virgin Media British Academy Television Awards will be broadcast on BBC One on Friday 31 July, hosted by Richard Ayoade
  • British Academy Television Craft Awards will be streamed online on Friday 17 July, hosted by Stephen Mangan
  • Nominations announced on Thursday 4 June at 7:30am BST
  • Virgin Media’s Must-See Moment nominees will be announced on Wednesday 3 June at 8am BST

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) has today confirmed new dates for this year’s Virgin Media British Academy Television Awards and British Academy Television Craft Awards. Originally scheduled for spring 2020, they were both postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Virgin Media British Academy Television Awards will now take place on Friday 31 July and will be broadcast as-live on BBC One that evening, while the British Academy Television Craft Awards will take place on Friday 17 July and will be broadcast as-live through BAFTAs social channels including at www.youtube.com/bafta.

Nominations for both Awards will be announced on Thursday 4 June, at 7:30am (BST). The nominations for Virgin Media’s Must-See Moment - the only Award voted for by the public - will be announced on Wednesday 3 June, at 8am BST

In accordance with current restrictions, both Awards will take place as closed studio, socially-distanced shows, with nominees invited to accept their awards virtually.

BAFTA and the BBC are also delighted to announce that for the first time Richard Ayoade, the presenter, comedian, writer, actor and director, will take the helm as host of the Virgin Media British Academy Television Awards.

Stephen Mangan returns to host this year’s Television Craft Awards for the ninth time, which will be broadcast as-live online via BAFTA’s social channels.

Richard Ayoade said: “I am as surprised as you are that this is still going ahead.”

Stephen Mangan said “I’m absolutely delighted to be hosting the BAFTA Craft Awards again - handing out our industry’s highest accolades to the people who make this country’s television world-leading. The format might have to change a little this year but nothing will stop me putting on black tie and celebrating their success.”

Amanda Berry OBE, Chief Executive at BAFTA, said: “We are delighted to confirm the new dates and formats for both the Virgin Media British Academy Television Awards and the British Academy Television Craft Awards this year. We want to celebrate and reward the talented individuals who make up the television industry, both behind and in-front of the camera, many of whom have continued to entertain and inform the nation in recent weeks. I am thrilled that Richard Ayoade will be hosting the Television Awards for the first time, with Stephen Mangan joining us for a ninth time to host the Television Craft Awards, with them at the helm both events are set to be great entertainment. Following the success of the online British Academy Games Awards in March, we are proud to be delivering a further two Awards shows during this difficult time.”

Kate Phillips, Commissioning Controller Entertainment at the BBC said: “I’m really pleased we’re able to bring the BAFTA TV Awards 2020 to BBC One in July.  As always they will celebrate the best of British TV throughout the year, as well highlight the great programming and memorable moments that have entertained so many throughout recent tough times.”

Richard won a BAFTA for Best Male Performance in a Comedy Programme for The IT Crowd, and has been nominated for a BAFTA on two other occasions - once in the British Academy Film Awards, for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer for Submarine, and again for Travel Man, which was also nominated for Best Feature in the Television Awards in 2017.

Stephen first hosted the BAFTA Craft Awards in 2011, and this will be his ninth year as master of ceremonies for the event.

The Virgin Media British Academy Television Awards 2020 will be produced by BAFTA Productions and Done and Dusted for BBC One. It was commissioned by Katie Taylor, commissioning editor for entertainment at the BBC, and is executive produced by Clare Brown, director of production at BAFTA and Lisa Clark for Done and Dusted.

For further information:
Will Wood, Managing Director, Multitude Media

M: 07817 014 515

E: [email protected]

Amanda Hearn, Publicity Director - Television at Multitude Media

M: 07950 803 771

E: [email protected]

Images are available via www.bafta.thirdlight.com 

About BAFTA

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) is a world-leading independent arts charity that brings the very best work in film, games and television to public attention and supports the growth of creative talent in the UK and internationally. Through its Awards ceremonies and year-round programme of learning events and initiatives – which includes workshops, masterclasses, scholarships, lectures and mentoring schemes in the UK, USA and Asia – BAFTA identifies and celebrates excellence, discovers, inspires and nurtures new talent, and enables learning and creative collaboration. For advice and inspiration from the best creative minds in working in film, games and television, visit www.bafta.org/guru. For more, visit www.bafta.org.

About Virgin Media

Virgin Media offers four multi award-winning services across the UK: broadband, TV, mobile phone and landline.

Our network delivers the fastest widely-available broadband speeds to homes and businesses. We’re expanding this through continued investment in our Project Lightning programme, which has seen our network footprint reach an additional 2.2 million premises so far to pass 15 million UK premises overall. We are also investing to bring next-generation gigabit speeds to our entire broadband network by the end of 2021.

Our interactive TV service brings live TV, thousands of hours of on-demand programming and the best apps and games to customers through a set-top box, as well as on-the-go through tablets and smartphones.

Virgin Mobile launched the world’s first virtual mobile network and offers fantastic value and innovative services with 4G connectivity. We are also one of the largest fixed-line home phone providers in the UK.

Through Virgin Media Business we support entrepreneurs, businesses and the public sector, delivering a range of connectivity and tailor-made services.

Virgin Media employs around 12,000 people directly in the UK and is part of Liberty Global, one of the world’s leading converged video, broadband and communications companies. Liberty Global connects 11 million customers through operations in six countries across Europe subscribing to 25 million TV, broadband internet and telephony services. It also serves 6 million mobile subscribers.