More than two-thirds (67%) of this year’s BAFTA TV performance nominees are nominated for the first time, according to the award’s organizers, who hailed the organization’s impact on new voices.
The figure increased rapidly from 55% in 2021 and BAFTA Deputy Chair Sara Putt put this down to the drive for new, diverse talent along with BAFTA’s many programs that are bringing this new talent through.
Diverse performers such as It’s a Sin’s Omari Douglas and Lydia West along with Help’s Cathy Tyson have been recognized for the first time this year, along with creators like Jerk’s Tim Renkow, some of whom are BAFTA program graduates.
They will get the opportunity to go up against huge stars like Mare of Easttown’s Kate Winslet, with this year being the first in which performers in international shows are eligible for the Actor and Actress awards.
“This speaks to the work that BAFTA has been doing with the industry to represent a huge variety of voices,” Putt told Deadline, speaking after the nominations were announced this morning.
“As well as award ceremonies, it’s important to understand that we look at incredibly important data which allows us to sit down and think about inclusion, informing so much of what we are doing and allowing us to create bespoke initiatives and help with talent pipelines.”
Putt also pointed to a wider spread of nominations this year that saw ITV and Channel 4 pick up more than previous editions, with Russell T Davies’ It’s a Sin and Jack Thorne’s Help notching up 10 TV Award nods between them for the latter.
It’s a Sin appears hot favourite to win several gongs and Emma Baehr, Director of Awards and Membership for BAFTA, said this focus on social realism reflects the “trauma” that the country has experienced collectively over the past two years.
“Storytellers want to express themselves about these experiences and these voices are being commissioned, made and awarded,” she added.
The TV and Craft awards also saw debut nods for Disney+ (Loki) and Nat Geo (9/11: One Day in America), while Netflix has 14 nominations, and this should only increase next year as the streamers deepen activity in the UK and become part of its ecosystem, according to Putt.
She said “a huge number of fantastic shows are in the pipeline” for 2023 as production returns to normal.
