Braydon Bent from Manchester wins the opportunity to present BAFTA’s behind-the-scenes coverage at the British Academy Children’s Awards
Four runners-up will also present for BAFTA and First News throughout the year
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts, in partnership with First News, has today announced the winner and runners-up of the BAFTA Kids’ Young Presenter competition 2017.
Eight-year-old Braydon Bent from Manchester has won a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to present BAFTA’s behind-the-scenes coverage at the British Academy Children’s Awards ceremony on Sunday 26 November at The Roundhouse in Camden, London.
Braydon will be presenting BAFTA’s official backstage coverage at the ceremony, where he will be chatting to guests, nominees and winners throughout the evening. His highlights from the evening will be available to view on live.firstnews.co.uk.
Braydon will also drop in on ‘BAFTA Kids: Red Carpet Experience’ at the Roundhouse, along with children from Sellincourt Primary School in Tooting and Penwortham Primary School in Streatham, in partnership with Place2Be. The experience is hosted annually ahead of the awards ceremony and is an opportunity for youngsters to enjoy a series of fun workshops based on film, games and programme-making skills, hosted by CBBC presenters Ben Shires and Katie Thistleton, before lining the red carpet to collect autographs from their favourite celebrities as they arrive at the Children’s Awards ceremony.
Like Braydon, the four runners-up in the BAFTA Kids Young Presenter competition will also get the opportunity to present for the First News website (live.firstnews.co.uk) and at other BAFTA events throughout the year. Their names have been announced today as:
Olly Robinson, 12 years old, Westcliff-On-Sea, Essex
Kade Bailey Smith, 11 years old, Lambeth, London
Jessica Dawson-King, 14 years old, Christchurch, Dorset
Harrison Gunn, 11 years old, Potton, Bedfordshire
Helen Blakeman, Chair of the BAFTA Children’s Committee, said: “Our BAFTA Kids Young Presenter competition gives youngsters the opportunity to learn more about the art of presenting – and we have received such a high standard of entries this year. Braydon presented with such ease and confidence, it was no surprise to discover he’s proven popular with Manchester City fans through his very own vlog. Through presenting for BAFTA Kids, we hope to introduce him to a wider audience, while also giving him the opportunity to learn from the UK’s leading personalities. He, along with the four other shortlisted entrants, has shown great talent and we’re delighted to be able to give them all the once-in-a-lifetime chance to present at BAFTA events throughout the year.”
Nicky Cox, Editor-in-Chief at First News, said: "It was a real privilege to be part of the judging panel again for this year's BAFTA Kids Young Presenter competition. I am in no doubt that we were seeing young people who, one day, will be famous faces on our television screens. I am delighted that First News will be giving several of these children the opportunity to hone their skills now, presenting reports on our online news channel, First News Live!"
Braydon, who will also take the stage during the ceremony to co-present an award alongside CBBC presenter Naomi Wilkinson, said: “I can't believe I have won it from the little video that I made with Dad, it’s brilliant. I'm so excited to speak to all the people I've watched on the TV and I can't wait to go out and give an award on the stage. It’s all so exciting and I even get to wear a smart suit!”
To enter the BAFTA Kids Young Presenter competition, which is now in its second year, children aged between seven and 14 were invited to submit a short video of no more than two minutes, which shows them interviewing an older friend or family member about their first film, games or TV memory. Braydon’s video shows him interviewing his dad on his first film memory.
Entries were selected by a jury including the most well-known presenters in children’s television. The jury comprised:
Officially Amazing presenter Ben Shires
CBBC presenter Katie Thistleton
Cartoon Network presenter Nigel Clarke
CBeebies presenter Pui Fan Lee
CiTV's Scrambled presenter Luke Franks
Channel Five's Milkshake presenter Kemi Majeks
Disney's Evermoor Chronicles actress Georgia Lock
BBC presenter and Editor of First News Productions Chris Rogers
Editor-in-Chief of First News Nicky Cox
Head of Content Partnerships, Google/YouTube Rosie Allimonos
To see a montage of submitted entries to the BAFTA Kids Young Presenters competition, visit http://www.baftakids.org/ from Monday 27 November.
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 youngsters the opportunity to discover some of the skills involved in making their favourite films, games and television programmes.
Notes to Editors:
For more information, please contact:
Amanda Hearn at freuds
T: 0203 003 6456
E: [email protected]
Hep Kwakye-Saka at freuds
T: 0203 003 6482
E: [email protected]
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, television and games. 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
