BAFTA TV Awards 2021: Michaela Coel, Paul Mescal to Attend

Michaela Coel, Jodie Comer and Paul Mescal are among the nominees set to attend this weekend’s BAFTA TV Awards ceremony in person, with others joining via video link.

The hybrid event — being hosted by Richard Ayoade at London’s Television Centre — is keeping in line with COVID-19 protocols by allowing nominees in a number of awards categories to attend (leading actor, leading actress, supporting actor, supporting actress, entertainment performance, male performance in a comedy, female performance in a comedy and the Virgin Media must-see moment), with the remaining nominees attending digitally.

Meanwhile, Olly Alexander — best known as the lead singer of Years & Years, but also the star of Russell T. Davies’ recent HBO/Channel 4 hit It’s a Sin — will open the ceremony with his new track “Starstruck.”

“We’re thrilled to be able to celebrate the television industry which has kept us all informed and entertained during what has been a difficult time for so many and delighted to have a number of the nominees attending the Virgin Media BAFTAs in person once again,” said Emma Baehr, BAFTA’s executive director of awards and content “The wonderfully talented Olly Alexander will kick off this special evening with a live performance from the red carpet and we look forward to television fans across the nation joining us in this night of celebration.”

At the nominations for both the BAFTA TV Awards and BAFTA TV Craft Awards in April, Small Axe led the way with 15 nods, followed by The Crown (10 nominations), I May Destroy You (eight), Normal People (seven), Sex Education (six), and Adult Material and I Hate Suzie (five each). In the BAFTA TV Craft awards ceremony last month, Small Axe and I May Destroy You dominated, Steve McQueen’s anthology film series taking five awards, with Michaela Coel’s comedy-drama taking three.