The 2021 BAFTA TV Awards

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Michaela Coel on “I May Destroy You”

Awards

‘I May Destroy You’ Dominates 2021 BAFTA TV Awards

Michaela Coel’s HBO miniseries was the night’s big winner

By Bex Palmer

THE BRITISH ACADEMY OF

Film and Television Arts TV awards took place June 6, with actor-writer-director Michaela Coel winning two of the academy’s most prestigious awards. Big television names such as Cush Jumbo, Jodie Comer, and Paul Mescal attended the West London ceremony in person, with Catherine Zeta-Jones, Catherine O’Hara, and others appearing virtually to present awards. The show was hosted by Richard Ayoade and opened with a musical performance by “It’s a Sin” star Olly Alexander. The televised ceremony, held in a half-empty studio due to COVID19 safeguards, saw its guests wearing glamorous masks and practicing social distancing.

It was a good night for Coel, whose sexual consent drama “I May Destroy You” won two BAFTAs for best miniseries and leading actress. For the latter prize, Coel triumphed over an impressive shortlist of nominees, including Comer for “Killing Eve,” Letitia Wright for “Small Axe,” Billie Piper for “I Hate Suzie,” Daisy Edgar-Jones for “Normal People,” and Hayley Squires for “Adult Material.”

In her speech, Coel heralded the work of the show’s intimacy director, Ita O’Brien, for allowing her to “make work about exploitation, loss of respect, about abuse of power, without being exploited or abused in the process.” “I May Destroy You” has now won five BAFTAs after its success at the BAFTA Craft Awards in May, where Coel also picked up awards for her writing and directing.

The leading actor award went to a clearly shocked Mescal for his role on Hulu’s lockdown hit “Normal People.” The supporting actor BAFTA went to another first-timer, Malachi Kirby, for his role as civil rights activist Darcus Howe on “Small Axe.” His BAFTA adds to the five awards that Steve McQueen’s anthology series won at this year’s Craft Awards ceremony.

A number of other real-life Black British stories were also recognized by BAFTA. Rakie Ayola became a firsttime supporting actress prize winner for her role in the TV movie “Anthony,” in which she played the mother of teenager Anthony Walker, who was murdered in a racist attack in 2005. “Sitting in Limbo,” about the real-life stories behind the 2018 Windrush scandal, won best single drama.

Lennie James’ “Save Me Too,” from Sky Atlantic and World Productions, won the drama series prize, beating “The Crown,” “I Hate Suzie,” and “Gangs of London.” “Sex Education” star Aimee Lou Wood won her first BAFTA for female performance in a comedy program.

When it came to the award for scripted comedy, it was an all-BBC shortlist, with “Inside No. 9” ultimately triumphing. Best international program went to Storyville documentary “Welcome to Chechnya: The Gay Purge,” which beat out fellow nominees “Lovecraft Country” (HBO), “Little America” (Apple TV+), and “Unorthodox” (Netflix).

On top of the past year’s global pandemic, BAFTA has faced its share of challenges, including criticism regarding a lack of Black and Asian creative representation in film award nominations. Also, in April, actor and director Noel Clarke was given an outstanding contribution award despite BAFTA being made aware of sexual harassment allegations against him. (The organization later suspended the honor.) Two of the night’s big winners have been vocal about both issues: Coel released a statement supporting the women who came forward against Clarke, while McQueen warned that BAFTA risked becoming “irrelevant” if it didn’t start dealing with the lack of diversity in its nominations.