The British Academy of Film and Television Arts today announced the shortlist of nominated shows for the YouTube Audience Award, given to the most popular programme of the last year at the upcoming Philips British Academy Television Awards.
The Nominees in 2011 are as follows:
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The YouTube Audience Award is the only Award voted for by the public. It rewards the programmes that have captured audiences’ imaginations and were the most watched, loved and talked about. A panel of entertainment journalists collated the shortlist, which features a variety of genres, including drama, entertainment and comedy.
From Tuesday 19 April until 5pm on Friday 20 May, members of the public will have the opportunity to vote for the YouTube Audience Award at www.youtube.com/baftaonline.
Jayme Goldstein, UK Marketing Manager from YouTube, said: "The diversity of the Audience Award nominations this year shows it has been a stellar one for TV. YouTube is home to many of the top shows on TV so it's fantastic that our community is once again able to decide this year's Audience Award winner.”
Amanda Berry OBE, Chief Executive of BAFTA, added: “It is fantastic to see such an eclectic list of programmes nominated for this year’s YouTube Audience Award. These programmes have captured the British viewers’ attention and have earned their place on this year’s shortlist.”
Hosted by Graham Norton, the Awards will be held at Grosvenor House, London, on 22 May 2011 and broadcast on BBC One later that evening.
About the nominations:
Sherlock -
A war hero, invalided home from Afghanistan, meets a strange but charismatic genius who is looking for a flatmate; it is London, 2010, and Dr Watson and Sherlock Holmes are meeting for the first time. A string of impossible suicides has Scotland Yard baffled - and only one man can help.
Downton Abbey -
Set in England in the years leading up to the First World War, Downton Abbey tells the story of a complicated community. The house has been home to the Crawley family for generations, but it is also where their servants live, plan and dream, and they are as fiercely jealous of their rank as anyone. Some of them are loyal to the family, others are moving through, on the look out for betterment, love or just adventure. The difference is that they know so many of the secrets of the family, while the family know so few of theirs. Little do they know that the clouds of the conflict that will change everything are already gathering over their heads.
Big Fat Gypsy Weddings -
Big Fat Gypsy Weddings is a visually arresting portrait of the lives of gypsies and travelers in Britain today. Picking up where the hugely successful Cutting Edge film of the same title left off, the new series follows the extraordinary rite-of-passage events - including weddings, communions and christenings - to offer a window into the world of the gypsy and traveller community. Each stand-alone episode gives insights into the community's attitudes toward gender roles, education and outsiders. The series also explores the remarkable rituals, traditions and beliefs held by this minority group. Warm, intelligent, engrossing and funny, Big Fat Gypsy Weddings tells intimate stories on an epic scale, laying bare an exotic unseen Britain that exists right on our doorstep.
The Only Way is Essex -
The Only Way Is Essex - based on the gorgeous and glamorous and ever so slightly orange characters that live it large in Essex - is the most talked about reality drama on television….. Faster than a spray-tan gun, The Only Way Is Essex made an unforgettable impression. We barely kept up with Mark and Lauren’s on-off relationship and when they…shut up!...got engaged, we couldn’t believe it. After Sam was vajazzled by “professional” beautician Amy, she professed her love to Mark but lost out to Lauren “nine years” Goodger. Could Mark’s bromance with Arg stand his relationship status change? Arg had plenty on his plate: winning back Lydia while fighting over piggy-in-the-middle Mr Darcy. Like Nanny Pat’s sausage plaits, “reem”-looking Joey Essex stole a wet kiss with Sam. Leaving Mark “jel”?
Miranda -
Series Two sees the return of Miranda’s eccentric mother Penny (Patricia Hodge) and her embarrassing attempts to marry Miranda off; her old boarding school rival and PR Sloane Tilly (Sally Phillips) who Miranda hopelessly wants to impress; and old friend Stevie (Sarah Hadland) who tries to run Miranda’s shop but mainly stands back unhelpfully pointing out where she is going wrong. Gary is back from Hong Kong, he's keen to get to know Miranda better and take their relationship to the next level, but how will she cope having the only man she's ever loved actually showing her some affection?
The Killing -
The Killing is a gripping Danish crime thriller spanning the course of a 20-day murder investigation. Sarah Lund is looking forward to her last day as a detective with the Copenhagen Police department. She is supposed to move to Sweden with her fiancée, but everything changes when a 19-year-old girl, Nanna Birk Larsen, is found raped and brutally murdered. Along with detective Jan Meyer, Sarah is forced to head the investigation, and it soon becomes clear that Lund and Meyer are chasing a very intelligent and dangerous murderer.
About BAFTA
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts is an independent charity that supports, develops and promotes the art forms of the moving image by identifying and rewarding excellence, inspiring practitioners and benefiting the public. In addition to its Awards ceremonies, BAFTA has a year-round Learning & Events programme that offers unique access to some of the world’s most inspiring talent through workshops, masterclasses, lectures and mentoring schemes, connecting with audiences of all ages and backgrounds across the UK, Los Angeles and New York. BAFTA relies on income from membership subscriptions, individual donations, trusts, foundations and corporate partnerships to support its ongoing outreach work. For further information, visit www.bafta.org.
About YouTube
YouTube’s “Shows” section (www.youtube.com/shows) brings together over 3,700 hours of full length programming and clips from 150 professional content partners including Channel 4 and five.
Eligibility
For programmes to be eligible for the YouTube Audience Award, they must have been transmitted between 1 March 2010 and 28 February 2011.
For further information, please contact:
Jai Dattani / Mary Williams at Freud Communications
T 0203 003 6300
E [email protected] / [email protected]
