Michaela Coel has been named best actress at the Bafta TV Awards, after also winning Baftas for writing and directing her drama ‘I May Destroy You’.
Coel picked up the best actress prize as well as best mini-series at the Bafta TV ceremony in London on Sunday.
The actress edged out fellow nominees Jodie Comer (‘Killing Eve’), Letitia Wright (‘Small Axe’), Billie Piper (‘I Hate Suzie’), Hayley Squires (‘Adult Material’) and Daisy Edgar-Jones (‘Normal People’).
Coel dedicated her acting prize to the show’s intimacy co-ordinator Ita O’Brien, who she said allowed people in the industry to “make work about exploitation, loss of respect, about abuse of power, without being exploited or abused in the process”.
Edgar-Jones’ ‘Normal People’ co-star Paul Mescal said he was “incredibly nervous” as he accepted the best actor trophy, after beating fellow nominees including ‘I May Destroy You’s’ Paapa Essiedu, ‘The Crown’s’ Josh O’Connor and ‘Small Axe’s’ John Boyega.
Comedian Richard Ayoade (of ‘IT Crowd’ fame) hosted the event, with some nominees attending the socially-distanced ceremony in person, while others accepted their awards remotely.
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts was formed in 1947 and has been presenting awards for television since 1954.
