Good evening, and a very warm welcome to the BAFTA Television Craft Awards.
These Awards are a moment to celebrate our peers and colleagues, to showcase skill and ingenuity in TV, and to give much-deserved praise to the industry’s creative behind-the-camera talent.
The quality of your work in television is at an all-time high, as testified by the 134 brilliant programmes nominated by BAFTA voting members out of over 600 programmes. It is also worth noting that behind all of this creativity and craft there are amazing production teams on every show without whom none of this magic would happen.
These 134 programmes are remarkably broad in their range and appeal. From stories that got the nation talking, to courageous documentaries about conflict and real-life events. They speak to the power of television to drive national conversation, to tap into stories of public interest, and to inspire societal change. To do this across every genre is even more impressive.
It’s wonderful to see so many international shows being nominated, and it is equally important that we are recognising talent from the continuing dramas, the shows with more challenging budgets, and the children’s shows.
I am personally delighted to see more women directors nominated in the directing category. As in every year, we see more men than women directors submitted for consideration. This year, only 29% of the directors who entered were women. As BAFTA and as an industry, we are all working with real dedication to ensure the work of women directors is seen and considered more widely.
There is still work to do to create real gender equality, as there is around disability representation. At BAFTA, we work really closely with our Disability Advisory Group, and it is promising that in the last few years, since BAFTA has been making concerted efforts to improve accessibility, we’ve seen an increase in those with disabilities joining our membership. The talent is there, we need to create access to the pipelines that recognise, support, and highlight that talent.
There is no getting around the fact that the last few years have been tough for so many in the freelance and production community. This year’s nominees show that creativity and craft in British TV is by no means diminished, and recent industry data suggests a potential improvement in the production landscape. In scripted, we are seeing some recovery, although budgets remain tight and commissioning practices are changing. In unscripted, it is still a hugely challenging landscape.
This all means that we are asking our freelance community to demonstrate even more resilience and greater adaptability. Who knew one-minute mini ‘vertical dramas’ on TikTok would become a thing?
Part of BAFTA’s role is not just to create the talent pipelines into the industry, but to help people navigate their way through this challenging and confusing landscape. We do this through mentoring, through our talent accelerator programmes, and by providing connection and belonging through our mixers, networking events, and our BAFTA community.
Inspiring and supporting the talent of the future is at the heart of our mission. This is why the Children’s TV industry is so vital. We have introduced three new categories: Children’s Craft Team, Children’s Non-Scripted, and Children’s Scripted to bring this incredible and impactful creative community to wider public attention. The children’s screen sector leads the way in diverse and educational storytelling, and it fosters a fantastic talent pipeline.
I’m delighted that the BBC’s EastEnders is being honoured with BAFTA’s Special Award tonight for its tireless dedication to nurturing fresh talent, championing underrepresented voices, and fuelling the engine of our industry. It’s so important that we are developing our own talent domestically. So many of today’s leading creatives got their start through this production, and its legacy continues to help shape the future generations of writers, directors, producers, and technicians.
One little-known fact about EastEnders is that it was the first programme to test the Albert Carbon Calculator in order to measure a show’s carbon footprint, so the programme has had a pioneering role in sustainability.
In 2023, BAFTA Albert tracked the carbon footprint of over 3,000 productions. We also launched the Albert Academy to offer free training, and we are building a network of sustainability ambassadors across the screen industry to help spread awareness and develop skills in this area. All of this is work I am hugely proud of.
Before I close I want to thank Jane Millichip, BAFTA’s amazing CEO, and the whole BAFTA team. Hilary Rosen, BAFTA’s wonderful TV Committee Chair, and all the TV Committee members who volunteer their time and wisdom to BAFTA.
And of course, our generous donors and partners, who make tonight possible, including Ecotricity, 3 Mills Studios, Hotcam, and Microsoft.
And finally – tonight’s nominees. Congratulations and the best of luck!
And so, before we welcome our brilliant host, let’s now remind ourselves one last time of the incredible work you’ve all achieved over the past year.
Thank you
