Mr Bates Vs The Post Office and Mr Loverman were among the big winners at this year’s BAFTA TV awards – with Danny Dyer and Ruth Jones picking up comedy prizes.

After Mr Bates was named the winner of the TV BAFTA for best limited drama, ITV was also given a special award for commissioning a show that “brought dynamic change”.

The four-part series, which aired in January 2024, depicted how former subpostmasters and subpostmistresses were held liable by the Post Office for financial discrepancies thrown up by its computerised accounting system, Horizon – shining a light on one of the widest miscarriages of justice in UK legal history.

Producer Patrick Spence said the show could never have been made without ITV, as well as the journalists who covered the wrongful convictions, and those who campaigned about the scandal.

“Our show didn’t change the law, the people of this nation did that,” he said.

Mr Bates stars Toby Jones and Monica Dolan missed out on prizes in the acting categories, with Marisa Abela named best actress for her performance in Industry and Lennie James named best actor for Mr Loverman, a series based on the novel of the same name by Booker Prize winner Bernadine Evaristo.

Both winners seemed shocked to receive the gongs, with first-time nominee Abela saying: “Oh my god, I really wasn’t expecting that at all… This is insane.”

James described the win as a “fantastic honour”.

Earlier in the night, his co-star Ariyon Bakare took home the prize for best supporting actor, while Baby Reindeer’s Jessica Gunning picked up the gong for best supporting actress.

Elsewhere, Dyer got one of the night’s biggest cheers as his first ever BAFTA was announced – the award for male performance in a comedy, for his role in Sky’s Mr Bigstuff – while Jones’s final performance as Nessa in the long-awaited Gavin & Stacey: The Finale earned her the female comedy performance gong.

Accepting his prize, Dyer said “the acting was so bad it was funny”, before he swore several times despite being warned about the rules. He also thanked his family, and writer and actor Ryan Sampson, whom he called the “best thing to come out of Rotherham”.

“I’m not going to lie, this is immense,” said Jones as she collected her award. “The person I would like to thank most his my dear, dear talented friend James Corden.”

She said without British actor Corden, her co-creator and co-star, “Vanessa Shanessa Nessa’ Jenkins would not exist”.

Read more:
The full list of winners
The red carpet in pictures
TV Awards – as it happened

Wins for other shows included best drama for Blue Lights, best soap for EastEnders, best scripted comedy for Alma’s Not Normal, best entertainment performance for Joe Lycett’s Late Night Lycett, and best entertainment programme for Would I Lie To You?

This year’s BAFTA Fellowship, the highest accolade given by the organisation, in recognition of an outstanding and exceptional contribution to film, games or television, was presented to broadcaster Kirsty Wark for her “unwavering dedication and unmatched legacy in the world of news and current affairs broadcasting”.

Two new categories celebrating children’s television were also introduced this year with CBeebies As You Like It at Shakespeare’s Globe taking home the inaugural prize for best children’s scripted, and Sky’s Disability and Me (FYI Investigates) winning the non-scripted prize.

The main ceremony, which was hosted by actor and presenter Alan Cumming at London’s Royal Festival Hall, came two weeks after the BAFTA craft ceremony for technical awards – where Baby Reindeer, Rivals and Slow Horses each picked up two prizes.

Full list of winners

SUPPORTING ACTRESS – Jessica Gunning – Baby Reindeer – Clerkenwell Films / Netflix
Katherine Parkinson – Rivals – Happy Prince, ITV Studios / Disney+
Maxine Peake – Say Nothing – FX Productions, Color Force / Disney+
Monica Dolan – Sherwood – House Productions / BBC One
Nava Mau – Baby Reindeer – Clerkenwell Films / Netflix
Sue Johnston – Truelove – Clerkenwell Films / Channel 4

SUPPORTING ACTOR – Ariyon Bakare – Mr Loverman – Fable Pictures / BBC One
Christopher Chung – Slow Horses – See-Saw Films / Apple TV+
Damian Lewis – Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light – Playground Entertainment, Company Pictures / BBC One
Jonathan Pryce – Slow Horses – See-Saw Films / Apple TV+
McKinley Belcher III – Eric – SISTER, Little Chick / Netflix
Sonny Walker – The Gathering – World Productions / Channel 4

REALITY – The Jury: Murder Trial – Production Team – ScreenDog Productions / Channel 4
Dragon’s Den – Production Team – BBC Studios Factual Entertainment Productions / BBC One
Love Is Blind UK – Production Team – CPL Productions / Netflix
The Traitors – Production Team – Studio Lambert / BBC One

LIMITED DRAMA – Mr Bates Vs The Post Office – Patrick Spence, James Strong, Gwyneth Hughes, Chris Clough, Natasha Bondy, Joe Williams – ITV Studios, Little Gem / ITV1
Baby Reindeer – Richard Gadd, Weronika Tofilska, Petra Fried, Matt Jarvis, Ed Macdonald, Matthew Mulot – Clerkenwell Films / Netflix
Lost Boys And Fairies – Rebekah Wray-Rogers, Jessica Brown Meek, Libby Durdy, Daf James, James Kent, Adam Knopf – Duck Soup Films / BBC One
One Day – Nicole Taylor, Molly Manners, Roanna Benn, Jude Liknaitzky, David Nicholls, Nige Watson – Drama Republic, Universal International Studios, Focus Features / Netflix

SCRIPTED COMEDY – Alma’s Not Normal – Sophie Willan, Andrew Chaplin, Gill Isles, Nerys Evans – Expectation / BBC Two
Brassic – David Livingstone, Danny Brocklehurst, Ben Gregor, Joseph Gilgun, Jim Poyser – Calamity Films / Sky Max
G’Wed Danny Kenny, Mario Stylianides, Akaash Meeda, Penny Davies – Golden Path Productions / ITV2
Ludwig – Mark Brotherhood, Robert McKillop, David Mitchell, Kenton Allen, Kathryn O’Connor, Georgie Fallon – Big Talk Studios, That Mitchell & Webb Company / BBC One

CHILDREN’S: NON-SCRIPTED – Disability And Me (FYI Investigates) – Matt Peacock, Marshall Corwin – Fresh Start Media / Sky Kids
BooSnoo! Production Team – Visionality, Mackinnon & Saunders / Sky Kids
Operation Ouch! Production Team – Maverick TV / CBBC
Reu & Harper’s Wonder World – Andy Mundy-Castle, Emine Yalchin – Doc Hearts / Channel 5

CHILDREN’S: SCRIPTED – CBeebies As You Like It At Shakespeare’s Globe – Production Team – BBC Studios Kids & Family / CBeebies
Horrible Histories – Production Team – Lion Television / CBBC
Ready Eddie Go! – James Murphy, Joseph Morpurgo, Justin Lowings – Hocus Pocus Studio / Sky Kids
Tweedy & Fluff – Corrinne Averiss, Chris Randall, Martin Tapley – Second Home Studios, Stitchy Feet / Channel 5

SPORTS COVERAGE – Paris 2024 Olympics – Production Team – BBC Sport / BBC One
Euro 2024 – Production Team – BBC Sport / BBC One
Wimbledon 2024 – Production Team – BBC Sport, Wimbledon Broadcast Services / BBC One

SHORT FORM – Quiet Life – Production Team – Open Mike Productions / BBC Three
Brown Brit – Jay Stephen, Ralph Briscoe – The Romantix / Channel 4
Peaked – John Addis, Ada Player, Bron Waugh – Boffola Pictures / Channel 4
Spud – Siobhán McSweeney, Pippa Brown, Leah Draws – Lookout Point TV / BBC Three

SPECIALIST FACTUAL – Atomic People – Benedict Sanderson, Megumi Inman, Morgan Matthews, Otto Burnham – Minnow Films / BBC Two
Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story – Production Team – Silverback Films / National Geographic
Children Of The Cult – Maroesja Perizonius, Alice McShane, Victoria Hollingsworth, David Modell, Ella Newton, Ben Ferguson – DM Productions / ITV1
Miners’ Strike 1984: The Battle For Britain –Tom Barrow, Christian Collerton, Zora Kuettner, Neil Crombie, Joe Evans, Miriam Walsh – Swan Films / Channel 4

LIVE EVENT COVERAGE – Glastonbury 2024 – Production Team – BBC Studios Music Productions / BBC Two
D-Day 80: Tribute To The Fallen – Production Team – BBC Studios / BBC One
Last Night Of The Proms – Production Team – Livewire Pictures / BBC Two

FACTUAL SERIES – To Catch A Copper – Hugo Pettitt, Ashley Francis-Roy, Bruce Fletcher, Peter Beard, Colette Hodges, Martin Thompson – Story Films / Channel 4
American Nightmare – Bernadette Higgins, Fiona Stourton, Rebecca North, Alasdair Bayne, Anton Short, Felicity Morris – RAW / Netflix
Freddie Flintoff’s Field Of Dreams On Tour – Andrew MacKenzie-Betty, Naomi Templeton, Annie Hughes, Anna Strickland, Peter Benn, Drew Hill – South Shore Productions / BBC One
The Push: Murder On The Cliff – Anna Hall, Josephine Besbrode, Luke Rothery, Tom Whitaker, Kate Reid, Josh Carpenter – Candour Productions / Channel 4

MALE PERFORMANCE IN A COMEDY – Danny Dyer – Mr Bigstuff – Sky Studios, Water & Power Productions / Sky Comedy
Bilal Hasna – Extraordinary – Sid Gentle Films / Disney+
Dylan Thomas-Smith – G’Wed – Golden Path Productions / ITV2
Nabhaan Rizwan – Kaos – SISTER / Netflix
Oliver Savell – Changing Ends – Baby Cow Productions / ITV1
Phil Dunning – Smoggie Queens – Hat Trick Productions / BBC Three

FEMALE PERFORMANCE IN A COMEDY – Ruth Jones – Gavin & Stacey: The Finale – Fulwell Entertainment, Tidy Productions, Baby Cow Productions / BBC One
Anjana Vasan – We Are Lady Parts – Working Title Television / Channel 4
Kate O’Flynn – Everyone Else Burns – Jax Media, Imagine Entertainment, Universal International Studios
Lolly Adefope – The Franchise – Neal Street Productions, Dundee Productions, HBO / Sky Comedy
Nicola Coughlan – Big Mood – Dancing Ledge Productions / Channel 4
Sophie Willan – Alma’s Not Normal – Expectation / BBC Two

SOAP – EastEnders – Production Team – BBC Studios / BBC One
Casualty – Production Team – BBC Studios / BBC One
Coronation Street – Production Team – ITV Studios / ITV1

SINGLE DOCUMENTARY – Ukraine: Enemy In The Woods – Jamie Roberts, Kate Spankie, Jonathan Smith, Claire Walker, Stanislav Strilets – Hoyo Films / BBC Two
Hell Jumper – Paddy Wivell, Adriana Timco, Colin Barr, Rupert Houseman, Jane Nicholson, Clancie John-Pierre – Expectation/ BBC Two
Tell Them You Love Me – Production Team – Mindhouse Productions / Sky Documentaries
Undercover: Exposing The Far Right – Production Team – Marking Inc, Tigerlily Productions / Channel 4

CURRENT AFFAIRS – State Of Rage – Marcel Mettelsiefen, Ahisha Ghafoor, Stephen Ellis, Ismail Hussam Banighorra, Aviya Shar-Yashuv, Mayte Carrasco – Duskwater Films / Channel 4
Life And Death In Gaza (Storyville) – Natasha Cox, Lara El Gibaly, Haya Al Badarneh, Sarah Keeling, Simon Cox, Mustafa Khalili – BBC World Service, BBC Eye / BBC Two
Maternity: Broken Trust (Exposure) – Laura Warner, Becky Southworth, Tom Keeling, Emma Lysaght, Lewis Albrow, Martin Kayser-Landwehr – Pulse Films / ITV1
Ukraine’s War: The Other Side (Exposure) – Sean Langan, Leslie Knott, Matt Scholes – Sean Langan, Tiger Nest Films / ITV1

NEWS COVERAGE – BBC Breakfast: Post Office Special – Production Team – BBC News / BBC One
Channel 4 News: Inside Sednaya – The Fall Of Assad – Production Team – Channel 4 News / Channel 4
Channel 4 News: Undercover Inside Reform’s Campaign – Production Team – Channel 4 News / Channel 4

INTERNATIONAL – Shogun – Justin Marks, Rachel Kondo, Michaela Clavell, Jonathan van Tulleken, Eriko Miyagawa, Hiroyuki Sanada – FX Productions / Disney+
After The Party – Helen Bowden, Dianne Taylor, Robyn Malcolm, Peter Salmon, Liz DiFiore, Jason Stephens – Lingo Pictures, Luminous Beast / Channel 4
Colin From Accounts – Production Team – CBS Studios, Easy Tiger Productions / BBC Two
Say Nothing – Nina Jacobson, Brad Simpson, Joshua Zetumer, Patrick Keefe, Monica Levinson, Michael Lennox – FX Productions, Color Force / Disney+
True Detective: Night Country – Production Team – Peligrosa, Neon Black, Anonymous Content, Parliament of Owls, Passenger, HBO / Sky Atlantic
You Are Not Alone: Fighting The Wolfpack – Almudena Carracedo, Robert Bahar, Katie Bryer, Samuel R. Santana – Lucernam Films / Netflix

SPECIAL AWARD – ITV, for commissioning Mr Bates vs The Post Office

ENTERTAINMENT – Would I Lie To You? – Peter Holmes, Rachel Ablett, Barbara Wiltshire, Jake Graham, Zoe Waterman, Charlotte Bracey-Curant – Zeppotron / BBC One
The 1% Club – Dean Nabarro, Andy Auerbach, Richard van’t Riet, Clare Barton, Hennie Clough – Magnum Media / ITV1
Michael McIntyre’s Big Show – Production Team – Hungry McBear / BBC One
Taskmaster – Andy Devonshire, Andy Cartwright, James Taylor, Alex Horne, Jon Thoday – Avalon UK / Channel 4

MEMORABLE MOMENT AWARD (voted by the public) – Strictly Come Dancing – Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell Waltz to ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ – BBC Studios / BBC One
Bridgerton – “THE” carriage scene where Colin admits his true feelings for Penelope – Shondaland / Netflix
Gavin & Stacey: The Finale – Smithy’s Wedding: Mick Stands Up – Fulwell Entertainment, Tidy Productions, Baby Cow Productions / BBC One
Mr Bates vs The Post Office – Jo Hamilton phones the Horizon helpline – ITV Studios, Little Gem / ITV1
Rivals – Rupert Campbell-Black and Sarah Stratton are caught in a game of naked tennis – Happy Prince, ITV Studios / Disney+
Traitors – “Paul isn’t my son… but Ross is!” – Studio Lambert / BBC One

DAYTIME – Clive Myrie’s Caribbean Adventure – Des Henderson, Emma Parkins, Ed Stobart, Jane Magowan, Denis Minihan – Alleycats TV / BBC Two
Loose Women – Production Team – ITV Studios Daytime / ITV1
Morning Live – Production Team – BBC Studios / BBC One
Richard Osman’s House Of Games – Tamara Gilder, Breid McLoone, John Smith, Anna Blakemore, Abby Brakewell, Tom Banks – Remarkable TV / BBC Two

FACTUAL ENTERTAINMENT – Rob And Rylan’s Grand Tour – Rob Rinder, Rylan Clark, Lana Salah, Simon Draper, Gwyn Jones, Joseph Fell – Rex, Zinc Media / BBC Two
In Vogue: The 90s – Liesel Evans, Jonathan Smith, Hugo MacGregor, Vikki Miller, Charlotte Permutt, Matthew Hill – RAW, Vogue Studios / Disney+
Race Across The World – Production Team – Studio Lambert / BBC One
Sort Your Life Out – Production Team – Optomen / BBC One

BAFTA FELLOWSHIP – presenter and journalist Kirsty Wark

DRAMA SERIES – Blue Lights – Stephen Wright, Louise Gallagher, Declan Lawn, Adam Patterson, Jack Casey, Amanda Black – Two Cities Television, Gallagher Films / BBC One
Sherwood – James Graham, Clio Barnard, Juliette Howell, Tessa Ross, Harriet Spencer, Kate Ogborn – House Productions / BBC One
Supacell – Rapman, Mouktar Mohammed, Steve Searle, Joanna Crow – Netflix, New Wave Agency, It’s A Rap / Netflix
Wolf Hall: The Mirror And The Light – Peter Kosminsky, Noëlette Buckley, Susanne Simpson, Peter Straughan, Lisa Osborne, Colin Callender – Playground Entertainment, Company Pictures / BBC One

ENTERTAINMENT PERFORMANCE – Joe Lycett – Late Night Lycett – Rumpus Media, My Options Were Limited / Channel 4
Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly – Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway – Lifted Entertainment, Mitre Studios / ITV1
Claudia Winkleman – The Traitors – Studio Lambert / BBC One
Graham Norton – The Graham Norton Show – So Television / BBC One
Romesh Ranganathan and Rob Beckett – Rob & Romesh Vs – CPL Productions / Sky Max
Stacey Solomon – Sort Your Life Out – Optomen / BBC One

LEADING ACTOR – Lennie James – Mr Loverman – Fable Pictures / BBC One
David Tennant – Rivals – Happy Prince, ITV Studios / Disney+
Gary Oldman – Slow Horses – See-Saw Films / Apple TV+
Martin Freeman – The Responder – Dancing Ledge Productions / BBC One
Richard Gadd – Baby Reindeer – Clerkenwell Films / Netflix
Toby Jones – Mr Bates vs The Post Office – ITV Studios, Little Gem / ITV1

LEADING ACTRESS – Marisa Abela – Industry – Bad Wolf, HBO / BBC One
Anna Maxwell Martin – Until I Kill You – World Productions/ ITV1
Billie Piper – Scoop – The Lighthouse Film and Television, Voltage TV / Netflix
Lola Petticrew – Say Nothing – FX Productions, Color Force / Disney+
Monica Dolan – Mr Bates vs The Post Office – ITV Studios, Little Gem / ITV1
Sharon D Clarke – Mr Loverman – Fable Pictures / BBC One