BAFTA/Thomas Alexander 11 year-old from Kent will present BAFTA’s red carpet coverage at the British Academy Children’s Awards as part of competition prize
London, 25 November: The British Academy of Film and Television Arts, in partnership with First News, has announced today that 11 year-old Gracie Gosling has won the 2019 BAFTA Kids’ Young Presenter competition.
Gracie, from Sidcup in Kent, is the fourth young presenter to win BAFTA’s once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to present for BAFTA Kids over the next year.
Gracie’s first opportunity begins on Sunday as she interviews guests, nominees and winners on the red carpet at the British Academy Children’s Awards, and will also be on stage to present an award as part of the ceremony. Gracie’s reporting from the event will be available at www.youtube.com/baftakids.
The competition prize also includes an opportunity to present a special feature for popular children’s TV news programme, Sky Kids FYI, in 2020. Gracie will join a lineup of talented children on the FYI presenting team, including 2017 BAFTA Young Presenter winner, Braydon Bent.
Gracie Gosling, the 2019 BAFTA Kids’ Young Presenter winner, said: “It has been a childhood dream of mine to become a TV presenter, particularly since I started my own YouTube channel. So when I saw the competition in First News I was so excited to enter. To hear that I had won was absolutely incredible, I was lost for words, and I can’t wait to meet and interview many different people in the industry.”
Helen Blakeman, Chair of the BAFTA Children’s Committee, said: “BAFTA Kids’ Young Presenter competition is now in its fourth year and I am delighted that Gracie is joining the line-up of exceptional young presenters who have won the competition over the years. It is so important that BAFTA is able to give young people the opportunity to explore careers in film, games and television and this competition is just one of the ways we help to educate and encourage young people to learn more about these industries and gain confidence in their abilities. Gracie has shown exceptional talent and I am delighted that she has been given this opportunity. I look forward to seeing her on the red carpet in December!”
Nicky Cox MBE, Editor In Chief at FirstNews, said: "Gracie is an incredible young lady who has had a difficult time, but you would never know it. Her happiness, confidence and zest for life pops off the screen and I know she'll do a terrific job as BAFTA's Young Presenter."
To enter the BAFTA Kids’ Young Presenter competition, children aged between seven and 14 were invited to submit a short video of no more than two minutes, which showed them responding to the theme ‘I care about…’. Gracie’s video addressed the wellbeing of young people today, which she experienced first-hand after being diagnosed with a benign brain tumor earlier this year.
Entries were selected by a specialist BAFTA jury including the most well-known presenters in children’s television.
To watch Gracie’s entry video and to find out more about the competition visit www.baftakids.org.
The BAFTA Kids’ Young Presenter competition is a part of the BAFTA Kids year-round series of events for families across the UK. Run by BAFTA and open to the public, the workshops, roadshows and masterclasses tour the country, offering young people the opportunity to discover some of the skills involved in making their favourite films, games and television programmes.
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 BAFTA Kids
BAFTA Kids is a programme of events and initiatives for families across the UK run by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, offering insight into creative excellence within film, games and television. The programme features behind-the-scenes roadshows, workshops and masterclasses with BAFTA-winning talent, online challenges and competitions, and special hospice screenings. Whereas BAFTA’s annual British Academy Children’s Awards recognise and celebrate excellence within these industries, BAFTA Kids is a trusted and accessible brand for families to explore and discover new, innovative and non-mainstream work, helping them deepen their appreciation of the films, television programmes and games they enjoy. www.baftakids.org
