The 2025 Bafta Television Awards showcased some unexpected winners, with ITV’s hard-hitting drama Mr Bates vs the Post Office and the poignant series Mr Loverman taking center stage on Sunday night.
Mr Bates vs the Post Office, a drama based on the real-life post office scandal that led to the wrongful convictions of sub-postmasters, emerged as the biggest winner of the evening, scooping the prestigious Best Drama Series award.
The impact of the drama, which drew widespread attention to the miscarriage of justice, was acknowledged with ITV receiving a special award to recognize the show’s powerful social influence.
Producer Patrick Spence, accepting the award, emphasized the importance of public response, saying, “This story only had the impact it did because the people that watched it stood up and demanded action with rage.”
His sentiments were echoed by ITV Studios managing director Kevin Lygo, who praised the show for its exceptional contribution to highlighting corruption and justice.
Despite Mr Bates’s success, lead actors Toby Jones and Monica Dolan missed out on individual acting awards, with those honors going to stars of Mr Loverman.
The drama, which explores the story of an elderly man’s relationship with his male lover after a marriage falls apart, earned two major acting awards.
Lennie James won Best Leading Actor for his portrayal of the protagonist, and Ariyon Bakare claimed the Best Supporting Actor award for his role as the lover.
James, visibly moved, described his win as a “fantastic honour” and paid tribute to fellow nominees, including David Tennant and Martin Freeman. He also thanked Bernardine Evaristo, the author of the book on which the series was based.
Ariyon Bakare, who played James’ lover, spoke emotionally about the significance of the award, stating, “This award stands on the shoulders of those who came before me, those who might have been afraid to come out, to be who they want to be.”
Marisa Abela won Best Leading Actress for her role in Industry, a drama about a group of young finance graduates.
Abela, who is also set to portray Amy Winehouse in the upcoming biopic Back To Black, described her win as “insane,” recalling how she was cast in the show while still in her final year of drama school.
She thanked her agent, Saskia, for believing in her and praised the show’s producers for continuing beyond the first season.
Ruth Jones, best known for her role in Gavin & Stacey, took home the award for Best Female Comedy Performance for her portrayal of Nessa in Gavin & Stacey: The Finale.
She delivered her acceptance speech in character, humorously referencing past awards and thanking her co-star James Corden for their 17-year collaboration.
Meanwhile, Danny Dyer won Best Male Comedy Performance for his role in Mr Bigstuff, where he played one of two brothers trying to resolve a long-standing rivalry.
Dyer, who admitted he was “choked up” by the win, shared his gratitude for his co-star Harriet Webb and writer Ryan Sampson.
The night also saw other notable wins, with Blue Lights taking Best Drama Series, Alma’s Not Normal winning Best Scripted Comedy, and EastEnders named Best Soap.
The Traitors missed out on multiple nominations, while Jury: Murder Trial claimed the Best Reality Series award.
In a lighter moment, Strictly Come Dancing won the Memorable Moment Award for Chris McCausland’s emotional waltz to You’ll Never Walk Alone, with his dance partner Dianne Buswell accepting on his behalf, humorously commenting that McCausland wasn’t present due to his insistence on driving himself.
Other accolades included the Bafta Fellowship awarded to Kirsty Wark, acknowledging her three-decade-long career in journalism, and a Best Factual Entertainment award for Rylan Clark and Rob Rinder’s Rob & Rylan’s Grand Tour.
Overall, the 2025 Bafta Television Awards celebrated not only stellar performances but also the significant cultural impact of the TV dramas and comedies that resonated with audiences across the UK.