Oppenheimer is the winner of the night at this year’s BAFTAs, taking home seven awards, including the big one – best film.
Irish actor Cillian Murphy, who stars as “father of the atomic bomb” J Robert Oppenheimer, was named best actor – and thanked his “Oppen-homies” on stage – while co-star Robert Downey Jr was honoured in the supporting category.
Accepting his trophy, Murphy described his character as “colossally knotty,” and added: “We have a space to debate and interrogate and investigate that complexity and it’s a privilege to be a part of this community with you all.”
Image: Irish actor Cillian Murphy is this year’s BAFTA best actor. Pic: Kate Green/BAFTA/Getty
For Christopher Nolan, the film’s acclaimed British director – also known for Inception, The Dark Knight, and Dunkirk – the “incredible honour” of his first ever BAFTAwas a case of third time lucky.
He paid tribute to the film’s cast, led by the “peerless” Murphy, as he accepted the award.
Downey Jr, who plays Lewis Strauss, head of the Atomic Energy Commission, set a new record for the longest gap between wins by an actor – with his latest trophy coming 31 years after his previous BAFTA for Chaplin, in 1993.
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On stage, he thanked Nolan, joking: “Recently that dude suggested I attempt an understated approach as a last ditch effort to resurrect my dwindling credibility.”
It was also a successful night for Emma Stone, who was named best actress for her performance in Poor Things, and Da’Vine Joy Randolph – who took home the supporting actress trophy for her portrayal of a grieving school chef in The Holdovers.
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Image: Emma Stone stars in Poor Things. Pic: Kate Green/BAFTA/Getty
Stone’s win was one of five for Poor Things, in which she plays a woman with the mind of a child discovering life for the first time, making the film the night’s second big winner.
The American actress said she was “in awe” of all of the team behind the surreal comedy, and thanked her British dialect coach for “not laughing” when she said water in an American accent.
All four acting winners are among the favourites to take home prizes at the Oscars in March.
Image: The show was hosted by David Tennant. Pic: Joe Maher/BAFTA/Getty
In her speech, Randolph paid tribute to her co-star and fellow nominee, Paul Giamatti, saying she “cries every time” she says his name.
“I’m proud to call you a friend and thank you for never wavering,” she said.
She also hailed her character Mary, who would “never would have got a chance to wear a beautiful gown”, before saying it was a “responsibility I don’t take lightly”.
Elsewhere, Holocaust drama The Zone Of Interest took home three awards, including best film not in the English language – and also outstanding British film, due to British involvement behind the scenes, including Jonathan Glazer directing.
Image: Prince William, president of BAFTA, and David Beckham were among the BAFTA VIPs. Pic: PA
Despite being the biggest film of 2023, and heading into the ceremony with five nominations, Barbie left the BAFTAs empty-handed.
The show was hosted by David Tennant, who kicked things off with a Zoom-style sketch about looking after Michael Sheen’s dog, Bark Ruffalo – which ended with the dog being handed to the Welsh star at the ceremony.
The ceremony also included a memorable performance from Sophie Ellis-Bextor – whose 2001 hit Murder On The Dancefloor has soared up the charts once again thanks to its inclusion in the particularly memorable final scene in viral hit film Saltburn.
Image: Emma Stone stars in Poor Things. Pic: Kate Green/BAFTA/Getty
Samantha Morton, known for films and TV shows including Minority Report, The Whale and The Walking Dead, was named this year’s BAFTA fellowship winner, and used her speech to highlight problems in the children’s care system.
The actress and director, who grew up in foster care, said on stage: “It costs the taxpayer a huge amount of money to keep a child in care, to take care of them. And that money is wasted and spent ridiculously.
“I used to say when I was a kid of many children’s homes, I used to say, ‘It’d be great, why don’t I just go to some fancy boarding school? At least then I get an education’. But that wasn’t on the cards.”
She added: “To those kids in care, don’t allow the system to drag you down because it can and it will.”
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The Duchess of Sussex has spoken about the challenges of balancing being an entrepreneur and a mother.
Meghan, speaking on the final episode of her podcast Confessions of a Female Founder, made the comments while talking with her guest Sara Blakely – mother of four children, and founder of shapewear brand Spanx.
She said to Blakely: “The amount of what you have created, evolved through – the level of what you have done while having this many children, all at that age. It’s something that I think people often forget.”
Reflecting on her own experiences, Meghan said: “People forget that Lili is three, and Archie is five.
“So you look at the past five, six years of my life, it’s yes, with being pregnant or with a newborn or with a toddler, and then another one.”
Meghan has previously revealed that she has an “amazing” nanny, who has been with the family for five years.
Alongside Prince Harry, the duchess stepped back from her duties as a senior working royal in 2020 – before starting a new life in the US.
Since then, she has launched her own brand, As Ever, a “curated collection” of products inspired by her “long-lasting love of cooking, entertaining and hostessing with ease”, according to the website.
She has, alongside Harry, also worked on Archewell, which includes the couple’s non-profit charitable organisation and their for-profit media production business.
Image: Meghan, recently launched her Netflix show With Love, Meghan
Pic: Jenna Peffley/Netflix
In conjunction with her new business venture, Meghan launched her Netflix show With Love, Meghan – a lifestyle show where the duchess would invite friends and famous guests, and shared cooking, hosting, and gardening tips.
Her podcast followed shortly afterwards.
Meghan also discussed a “guilty mentality” facing female chief executives who have a lot of money.
She said: “I think so many women, especially, were taught to not even talk about money. And there’s lots of guilt mentality surrounding having a lot.”
“It wasn’t until the 70s that women could even have a credit card, a line of credit on a credit card without her husband.”
The discussion, which was wide-ranging in nature, also foregrounded the importance of self-care.
“I remember my acupuncturist in the UK said to me, and it has always stayed with me, he said, if the baby’s crying, treat the mother.
“It all starts with us. Good Lord, we have to take care of ourselves first.”
Gary Lineker bid a tearful farewell to Match Of The Day as he presented the show for the final time.
The ex-England striker, 64, announced his departure earlier this month after sharing a social media post from the Palestine Lobby group titled: “Zionism explained in two minutes.”
The Instagram post was illustrated with a rat, which has been used to represent Jewish people in antisemitic propaganda – including Nazi Germany.
Lineker “apologised unreservedly” for sharing it, saying he was unaware of the reference and it was a mistake. He maintained the importance of “speaking out on humanitarian issues, including the tragedy unfolding in Gaza”.
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Watch: Lineker confirms BBC exit
Presenting his final Match Of The Day alongside regular colleagues Alan Shearer and Micah Richards, Lineker did not directly address the circumstances of his departure during the programme.
“It wasn’t meant to end this way,” he quipped in his opening line, continuing: “But with the title race over and the relegation places confirmed, the Champions League was all we had left to talk about.”
After running through highlights of all 10 games from the final day of the Premier League season, Lineker thanked his fellow pundits, viewers and those who work behind the scenes, before wishing good luck to his replacements.
Gabby Logan, Mark Chapman and Kelly Cates will take on presenting duties for the 2025-26 campaign.
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2:48
Lineker leaves BBC: Timeline of events
‘It has been so special’
Lineker wiped away tears at the end of the show, having been played a montage of messages including from Richards, Shearer, Ian Wright, Alan Hansen, Paul Gascoigne, Pep Guardiola, and Claudio Ranieri.
Italian manager Ranieri led Lineker’s beloved Leicester City to the Premier League title in 2016, which memorably saw the BBC’s highest paid star present an episode of Match Of The Day in a pair of boxers.
He had promised to appear on the show half naked if Leicester won the league.
Lineker started presenting Match Of The Day back in 1999, and has also fronted the BBC’s coverage of World Cups, Euros tournaments, and the Olympics.
“It has been so special,” Lineker said as he signed off, “and I am sorry that your team was always on last.
Thousands of people are expected to attend Port Talbot this weekend as the town gears up to welcome an annual Welsh festival.
The Urdd Eisteddfod is a celebration of Welsh culture when children and young people up to the age of 25 take part in a variety of competitions.
There are 400 of them in total, including singing, reciting poetry and dancing.
The Urdd organisation itself was established more than a century ago in 1922, with the aim of giving children and young people in Wales the opportunity to learn and socialise in the Welsh language.
Its six-day Eisteddfod is held during May half-term and in a different part of Wales each year.
The Urdd Eisteddfod broke its own records last year, with more than 100,000 registrations to compete.
Image: A choir competes at the 2024 Eisteddfod yr Urdd. Pic: Urdd Gobaith Cymru
Margam Park is home to this year’s event – the first time since 2003 that it’s played host.
Among the main prizes up for grabs this year are the chair (awarded to the main poetry competition winner) and the crown (awarded to the main prose competition winner).
This year’s crown and chair have been made using some of the final pieces of steel produced at Port Talbot steelworks before the closure of the blast furnaces last year.
Image: The chair at the 2025 Eisteddfod yr Urdd was created using some of the last pieces of steel produced at the Port Talbot steelworks. Pic: Urdd Gobaith Cymru
Image: Pic: Urdd Gobaith Cymru
There are some new additions to this year’s Eisteddfod, including awards for singing, musical theatre and acting, named in honour of Sir Bryn Terfel, Callum Scott Howells and Matthew Rhys.
Another new award – the Amy Dowden award for dance – will also be awarded for the first time this week.
Speaking to Sky News, Strictly Come Dancing star Dowden said it was a “real honour” to be supporting the next generation of dancers.
“The arts and the industry is tough, and I just hope that [the young people] can see that I’ve managed to push myself through it,” she said.
“I’ve worked hard, I’ve had a few challenges along the way. Hopefully I can help inspire them as well.”
Image: Amy Dowden. File pic: PA
‘It’s like Britain’s Got Talent’
As a former competitor herself in what is one of Europe’s largest touring youth festivals, Dowden says she “couldn’t imagine [her] childhood without it”.
“I’ve loved Eisteddfods since I can remember. Every year at school I took part in everything, from the baking to the reciting poems, to the folk dancing, to the creative dancing,” she said.
“The Urdd Eisteddfod is literally like one big talent competition, it’s like Britain’s Got Talent.”
The winner of the Amy Dowden award will get one-to-one sessions with her as part of the prize, as well as masterclasses at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.
They will have the opportunity to perform on an international stage and also win a cash prize.
“I know from my dance training and everything, each of those is so beneficial to getting yourself to that professional level,” Dowden added.