It was supposed to be a night honouring the best the small screen has to offer.
- Wolf Hall director Peter Kosminsky among those to attack Government in acceptance speech
- He likened John Whittingdale’s reported plans for BBC to North Korea
- Actors Mark Rylance and Tom Hiddleston also defended the corporation
- Awards ceremony was broadcast on BBC One last night
But instead, last night’s Bafta TV Awards ceremony resembled something more akin to a party political broadcast as pro-BBC stars took aim at the Conservative party, and plans to reform the broadcaster.
The ceremony, which was broadcast on BBC One last night, saw winners hit out in an unprecedented attack ahead of the Government’s White Paper on the future of the BBC, widely expected on Thursday.
Among them was Wolf Hall director Peter Kosminsky, who attacked the Government in a passionate speech, accusing ministers of trying to ‘eviscerate’ the BBC, and adding that he felt now ‘is a dangerous time for broadcasting in Britain’.
Speaking as he accepted best drama series, he also warned that this would mean there would be no more productions like the Tudor drama.
He referred to Culture Secretary John Whittingdale’s reported plans to interfere with the scheduling of shows such as the BBC News and Strictly Come Dancing as similar to the ‘bastions of democracy Russia and North Korea’.
He said: ‘This is really scary stuff folks, not something I thought I’d see in my lifetime in this country.
‘It is not their BBC, it’s your BBC. There will be no more Wolf Hall, no more ground-breaking Dispatches.’
He spoke for three minutes, running long over the allotted 30 second cut-off. His comments on North Korea were cut out of the broadcast version, which still totalled around two minutes including footage of the lengthy standing ovation he received from the audience, but most of his comments remained intact.
Mr Kosminsky’s words were echoed by actor Mark Rylance, who played Thomas Cromwell in the Hilary Mantel adaptation.
Accepting the leading actor award, Rylance said: ‘I’m really struck tonight by the quality of the storytelling in this country and I agree with Peter that times are hard.
‘But I think woe to any government or corporation who tries to get between the British people and their love of a good joke, a true story, a good song, a fact, a fiction good sports commentating, newscasters who can hold themselves together and tell stories about tragedies in Paris, people who can cook well and bake cakes.
‘The incredible variety of popular culture in this country – it’s really blown my mind tonight and I think woe to any government or any corporation who tries to come between that.
‘We’re a nation of storytellers, we’re admired around the world for it and long may it live and long may it be a privilege to the people here without having to watch commercials.’
Many viewers were unimpressed with the amount of time given to the anti-Government rants during the broadcast of the ceremony.
One Twitter user, @adamgreene27 wrote: Leftie luvvies lecturing, on leftie TV on why they should be allowed to keep making more left-wing TV #quellesuprise #bafta #BAFTATV’.
And David Bruff wrote: ‘Why is it that these luvvies think it’s their right to use the platform to force their political view on us. #bafta’
Speaking after the ceremony to BBC Radio 5 live’s Stephen Nolan, Mr Kosminksy went on to criticise Mr Whittingdale, saying the minister should ‘consider his position’.
He said: ‘He seems, as far as I can see, semi-detached from the present Conservative government leadership in terms of his position on these issues.
‘Here is a man who said in Edinburgh that there were no plans to privatise Channel Four, and then just a matter of days later documents were seen from his department which seemed to suggest that he’d been, well, what should we say, ‘economical with the truth’.
‘I think this man should consider his position.’
After his win, Rylance told the Press Association he would not stand for creative freedoms being limited.
He said: ‘I wouldn’t stay around, I would quit immediately, if I’m told how to do something.
‘This is where you experience things you can’t experience in your life, they have to be wild and they have to be free. They have to be able to make mistakes.
‘We have lost the canals, we have lost the high street, we have lost the pubs, we are losing the villages, where is the common culture that is an important part of life here in England?
‘They should think very carefully governing people and trying to get in our way of a good story and a true story.’
Star of The Night Manager Tom Hiddleston also defended to corporation against cutbacks before he announced the nominees for the Leading Actress award.
‘I’m very happy to manage the night at any time, particularly on the BBC,’ he said.
And James Nesbitt, who presented the Best Single Drama award, said: ‘Our four nominations are from ITV, Channel 4 and BBC but with new and exciting drama on Sky and improvised drama on Channel 5 primetime, it’s clear that excellence and diversity is alive and well across all our channels, commercial and public service.
‘But – and echoing Peter Kosminsky here a wee bit – I think it’s true that all these films, their writers, their directors, their cast and crew and – let’s face it – everyone here in this hall, are able to do what they do as well as they do because of the BBC. Do not strip it away. I mean, did he watch the Hollow Crown last night? Please protect it, let’s cherish it.’
Craig Revel Horwood, a judge on best entertainment programme winner Strictly Come Dancing, added of the Government: ‘If they are in charge of anything entertainment-wise it would be a complete disaster, we don’t want them in charge of any decisions, creatively.’
The comedy and comedy entertainment programme category was won by Have I Got News For You.
One of the show’s team captains, Ian Hislop, also praised the BBC and its independence.
He said: ‘I’m reiterating the theme, I’d like to thank the BBC, who have allowed us to be rude about the Government … and indeed rude about the BBC itself, which is a privilege you are given with public service broadcasting and not on state television.’
A senior BBC boss commented on the success of the corporation at the award ceremony, saying it was a ‘clear indication of a BBC in fine creative form’.
And Sir Lenny Henry renewed his call to enshrine diversity in the BBC charter as he accepted the special recognition award for his career in television.
He said: ‘If it feels like I’m banging on a bit about diversity all the time it’s because I believe in increasing it so we truly reflect our fantastic nation, ensuring that all those 14 year olds out there, superglued to their phones who hope to work in TV, irrespective of their race, gender, sexuality, class, disability, can realise that ambition as I was able to realise mine.’
Sir Lenny, who was given the Alan Clarke Award, added: ‘If we do this, we will make this fantastic industry even greater and I know everybody in this room agrees. So please let’s keep working together to make this a reality, let’s create a coalition of the willing and please let’s put this in the charter.’
Double Bafta winner Jack Thorne, who wrote Channel 4’s Shane Meadows drama This is England ’90, which won best mini-series, and BBC3’s Don’t Take My Baby, about a disabled couple and their child, which was awarded best single drama also hit out at the Government, saying cuts to the access to work scheme was making it ‘very difficult’ for disabled actors to find work.
‘We’re having a wonderful debate about diversity at the moment and trying to sort out the problems in our industry and the sector that seems to get missed out quite a lot of the time is disability. The cuts to access to work are making it very difficult for theatre, film and TV companies to employ disabled talent and that’s wrong and that’s got to change.’