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Britain’s biggest celebration of film – the BAFTAs – take place this Sunday, honouring the best movies of the last year.

With a brand-new host, two special live musical performances, and a red carpet packed with celebrities, it’s set to be a star-studded night with plenty of surprises in store.

The BAFTA Awards 2023 take place on 19 February. Pic: BAFTA/Marc Hoberman
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Pic: BAFTA/Marc Hoberman

Here’s everything you need to know ahead of this year’s BAFTA Film Awards.

Where are they being held?

The ceremony will take place at the Royal Festival Hall in London’s Southbank Centre.

Sky News will be liveblogging winners as they’re announced, ahead of the televised ceremony which will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer from 7pm on Sunday night.

Which films are in the running?

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A total of 38 films are up for awards.

Christopher Nolan’s epic biopic about atomic bomb creator J Robert Oppenheimer leads the pack with 13 nominations.

Cillian Murphy is J Robert Oppenheimer in Oppenheimer, written, produced, and directed by Christopher Nolan. Pic: Universal Pictures
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Cillian Murphy is J Robert Oppenheimer in Oppenheimer. Pic: Universal Pictures

Gothic fairy-tale Poor Things has 11 nods, while Martin Scorsese’s Killers Of The Flower Moon and German-language drama The Zone Of Interest both have nine nods.

French courtroom drama Anatomy Of A Fall, 70s nostalgia-fest The Holdovers, and Bradley Cooper’s labour of love Maestro all have seven nominations.

Read more: See the full list of nominations here

All Of Us Strangers, starring Andrew Scott and Paul Mescal, has six nominations, while Greta Gerwig’s Barbie and Emerald Fennell’s Saltburn both have five.

Despite being the highest-grossing film of 2023, Barbie failed to make it into the best film category, and Gerwig is also absent from the directing category. It’s likely the film’s fictional heroine would have had something rather pointed to say about those omissions…

Which stars are likely to take home a gong?

If past achievements are anything to go by, Golden Globe wins earlier this year for Oppenheimer star Cillian Murphy and Poor Things actress Emma Stone set them both in good stead.

Emma Stone in Poor Things. Pic: Yorgos Lanthimos/Searchlight Pictures
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Emma Stone in Poor Things. Pic: Yorgos Lanthimos/Searchlight Pictures


And he’s Britain’s most successful working director, but Christopher Nolan has never won a BAFTA for best film or best director, so many feel this could be his year.

With many of the other categories wide open, one that many of the critics are calling is best supporting actress, with The Holdovers star Da’Vine Joy Randolph considered to be the runaway favourite for both a BAFTA and an Oscar win next month.

Da'Vine Joy Randolph stars as Mary Lamb in director Alexander Payne's The Holdovers. Pic: Focus Features/Seacia Pavao
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Da’Vine Joy Randolph in The Holdovers. Pic: Focus Features/Seacia Pavao

Whether audience-favourite Ryan Gosling will snap up best supporting actor is less easy to foretell.

However, his nomination in this category has received less of a frenzied response than the same nod at the Oscars, mainly due to the fact that Margot Robbie does have a BAFTA nod for best actress, while she was locked out of the Academy Award shortlist.

Jacob Elordi
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Jacob Elordi

In the Rising Star category – the only award voted for the public – actor Jacob Elordi‘s much-talked about performances in Saltburn and Priscilla – would seem to give him more than an even chance of taking home the prize.

Who’s hosting?

David Tennant will host this year’s event for the first time.

David Tennant and Catherine Tate reprise their roles in the 60th anniversary special of Doctor Who
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David Tennant and Catherine Tate in Doctor Who. Pic: BBC

Clearly feeling laid back about the challenge, he said: “It’ll either work and everyone will be terribly nice about it or it’ll be a total disaster and I’ll never be asked again. Either way – it’s fine.”

The 52-year-old Scottish star has said he won’t be “roasting” any of the stars on the night – an approach that has received mixed results at the BAFTAs in the past.

Last year, the awards ceremony was hosted by Saltburn actor Richard E Grant and This Morning host Alison Hammond, and the year before by Australian actress and comedian Rebel Wilson.

Tennant says he hopes it will be an “evening of generosity and joy,” and has also hinted that his former Doctor Who co-star Catherine Tate might make a surprise appearance.

Pic: Matt Crossick/Global/Shutterstock
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Dua Lipa. Pic: Matt Crossick/Global/Shutterstock

Who’ll be presenting the awards?

Famous faces giving out awards include David Beckham, Dua Lipa, Hugh Grant, Idris Elba, Cate Blanchett, Gillian Anderson and Daisy Edgar Jones.

And while All Of Us Strangers co-star Andrew Scott was a notable absence from the best actor contenders, he will present a prize on the night.

Will there be any music?

The ceremony will feature performances by Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Hannah Waddingham.

Ellis-Bextor will be performing her 2001 hit Murder On The Dancefloor, which has become a viral hit since featuring in the closing finale of Saltburn.

Ted Lasso star Waddingham will also give a live musical performance, with details of her turn a closely guarded secret.

Sophie Ellis-Bextor performs one of her kitchen discos. Pic: Richard Jones
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Sophie Ellis-Bextor.Pic: Richard Jones

Will any other prizes be handed out?

The Bafta Fellowship – the film academy’s highest honour – will be presented to actress Samantha Morton.

Over a three-decade career (and counting), her credits have spanned British indie productions to Hollywood blockbusters, starring in movies including Under The Skin, The Minority Report and The Whale.

Previous BAFTA Fellow include Charlie Chaplin, Elizabeth Taylor and Steven Spielberg.

Samantha Morton
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Samantha Morton. Pic: Ian West/PA Photos

BAFTA’s Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema will be presented to June Givanni.

She is a pioneering film curator, writer and programmer of African and African diaspora cinema.

Givanni founded The June Givanni PanAfrican Archive (JGPACA), a volunteer-run archive comprising over 10,000 rare and unique artefacts documenting the development of filmmaking across Africa and the African diaspora, including in Britain.

Sky News will be liveblogging winners as they’re announced, from around 4.30pm on Sunday afternoon – follow it all live on our site.

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Member of Kneecap charged with terror offence

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Member of Kneecap charged with terror offence

A member of Irish-language rap group Kneecap has been charged with a terror offence.

Liam O’Hanna, or Liam Og O Hannaidh, has been charged with displaying a flag in support of Hezbollah, a proscribed organisation, the Metropolitan Police said.

The 27-year-old from Belfast – who performs under the stage name Mo Chara – is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 18 June.

It comes after counter-terror police assessed a video reported to be from a Kneecap concert.

The charge relates to a flag that O’Hanna allegedly displayed at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town, London, on 21 November last year.

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Officers from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command were made aware of a video circulating online on 22 April, the force said.

An investigation led to the Crown Prosecution Service authorising the charge.

Kneecap are due to headline Wide Awake Festival in south London on Friday.

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Chris Brown released on bail – but must pay £5m security fee

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Chris Brown released on bail - but must pay £5m security fee

US singer Chris Brown has been released on bail by a judge in London – and must pay a £5m security fee to the court.

The 36-year-old was granted bail at Southwark Crown Court on Wednesday, but did not appear in person.

Brown had been remanded in custody by a judge in Manchester on Friday until 13 June.

He faces a charge of grievous bodily harm following an incident at a London nightclub in 2023.

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.

Please refresh the page for the fullest version.

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Cassie’s mum describes Diddy’s sex tape threats – as ‘The Punisher’ gives testimony

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Cassie's mum describes Diddy's sex tape threats - as 'The Punisher' gives testimony

The mother of Cassie Ventura has told a court she felt “physically sick” when her daughter told her Sean “Diddy” Combs had threatened to “release two explicit sex tapes” after discovering his long-time girlfriend was dating someone else.

Giving evidence on Tuesday, the seventh day of the trial, Regina Ventura said she did not initially understand the email Cassie sent her in December 2011, saying, “The sex tape threw me, [Diddy] was trying to hurt my daughter.”

The email said Combs was planning to release two explicit videos of her and send someone to hurt her and the man she was seeing, rapper Kid Cudi, whose real name is Scott Mescudi.

Regina said the family took out a home equity loan and paid Diddy $20,000 to recoup money he had spent on Cassie “because he demanded it,” angry that Cassie was now dating Cudi.

She said the money was returned days later.

During her evidence, jurors were shown photographs of bruises on Cassie’s body Ms Ventura said were taken when her daughter returned home for Christmas in 2011.

Regina’s time on the stand was fairly brief, as the defence declined the opportunity to question her.

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Cast member Scott Mescudi, A.K.A. Kid Cudi, attends the global premiere of the television miniseries "Knuckles" at Leicester Square, in London, Britain, April 16, 2024. REUTERS/Maja Smiejkowska
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Scott Mescudi, aka Kid Cudi, who dated Cassie in 2011. Pic: Reuters

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs trial: Day 7 – As it happened

Prosecutors say Combs, the founder of Bad Boy Records, forced women to take part in days-long, drug-fuelled sexual performances known as “Freak Offs” from 2004 to 2024, facilitated by his large retinue of staff. Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty.

The rapper faces five criminal counts: one count of racketeering conspiracy; two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion; and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.

Musician Sean Coombs and Cassie Ventura arrive at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Gala 2015 celebrating the opening of "China: Through the Looking Glass," in Manhattan, New York May 4, 2015. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson
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Combs and Cassie pictured in 2015. Pic: Reuters

Last week, the prosecutors’ star witness, Cassie Ventura, who dated Combs for over a decade, spent four days giving evidence.

Combs’s legal team has sought to show jurors that his relationship with Ventura was complicated, and while they acknowledge he was an abusive partner, and had substance issues, they say the sex acts described by the prosecution were consensual.

Read more:
Everything you need to know about the Sean Combs trial

The rise and fall of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs

‘Diddy wanted our bodies to shine’

A male exotic dancer nicknamed “The Punisher” also gave testimony, telling jurors that in the autumn of 2012, Cassie contacted him asking him to “create a sexy, erotic scene” Diddy, and using the pseudonym “Janet”.

Male exotic dancer Sharay Hayes, arrives at the Federal courthouse to testify in the Sean "Diddy" Combs' sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy trial at U.S. court in Manhattan, in New York City, U.S., May 20, 2025. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid
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Male exotic dancer Sharay Hayes, aka The Punisher. Pic: Reuters

Sharay Hayes said he went on to have eight to 12 more encounters with the couple, having sex with Cassie, while Diddy watched from a distance.

He described the hotel rooms as routinely being dressed with electric candles and sheet-covered furniture, and says Cassie told him not to “acknowledge” her husband, and to “try not to look at him and no communication”.

He says Diddy would often wear a cap, and he could not see his face, but he later realised it was the famous rapper.

“The Punisher” mentioned using a “considerable amount of baby oil” during the performances, saying “[Diddy] wanted us to keep our bodies covered, to shine”.

He later described the acts as “a fetish type thing,” and while he said he believed Cassie was fully consensual, he also said he “did occasionally see her sigh or wince” and said she would frequently look at Diddy “for cues”.

Paid between $1,200 (£900) and $2,000 (£1.500) for each performance, he said he was not called back after struggling to get an erection during one encounter.

He said he never saw Diddy use drugs or saw filming during any of the performances.

Car park dispute with Suge Knight

David James, Diddy’s ex-personal assistant, also completed his evidence and testified that he never saw physical violence between Cassie and his former boss.

David James, a former assistant for Sean “Diddy” Combs, exits after testifying at the Federal courthouse to testify in the Sean "Diddy" Combs' sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy trial at U.S. court in Manhattan, in New York City, U.S., May 20, 2025. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid
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David James, Combs’s former assistant. Pic: Reuters

James, who worked for Diddy for two years, said he left Diddy’s employment after he realised his “life was in danger” following a dispute in a car park with rival record label owner Suge Knight, which culminated in Diddy bringing three handguns to try to find Knight and his entourage.

He also detailed an altercation between Diddy and his personal chef, Jourdan Atkinson, and said he refused to file a police report after Diddy told him to say “Chef Jourdan hit him first”.

The final person to give evidence was a special agent responsible for planning the March 2024 raids on Combs’s Miami home on Star Island.

Steve Gannon showed photos of items taken during the raid, including sex toys, high heels and loaded guns, and explained how an armoured vehicle was used to break down the mansion’s front gate to gain entry while the family was away on a trip.

Combs has been held in the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn since September and faces at least 15 years or possibly life in prison if convicted.

The trial is set to last for around two months.

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