Full Breakdown
2026 BAFTA Television Craft Awards Celebrate Behind-the-Scenes Excellence
4/28/2026, 3:35:59 AM
Background & Context
The BAFTA Television Craft Awards are an annual ceremony recognizing technical and creative contributions to television. The 27th edition took place at The Brewery, an 18th-century venue in London, and was sponsored by Samsung OLED. The awards honor work from the previous year (2024). The ceremony was broadcast on BBC One and featured a range of presenters from the industry.
Key Winners and Notable Achievements
Netflix drama Adolescence and the series The Celebrity Traitors each secured two awards, the most for any programme. Philip Barantini received Director: Fiction for *Adolescence*, while the series also won Sound: Fiction. *The Celebrity Traitors* won Entertainment Craft Team and Sound: Factual. Will Smith was named Writer: Drama for *Slow Horses*. Jack Rooke won Writer: Comedy for *Big Boys*. Simone Pennant MBE received the BAFTA Television Craft Special Award for her leadership of The TV Collective. Emerging Talent awards went to Olaide Sadiq (Factual, for *Grenfell: Uncovered*) and Janice Okoh (Fiction, for *Just Act Normal*). In photography, Ryan Kernaghan (ISC) won Photography & Lighting: Fiction for *Trespasses*, and Jordan Bryon secured Photography: Factual for *Our Land: Israel’s Other War*. Visual & Graphic Effects was awarded to *Andor*. The UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 title design also earned a win. Jessica Dannheisser (factual) and Tom Rowlands (fiction) were honoured for original music.
Data & Statistics
*Adolescence* led the nominations with eleven, followed by Disney+’s *A Thousand Blows* with seven. The ceremony recognized contributions across dozens of categories, spanning drama, factual, children’s, comedy, and entertainment craft teams. The event marked the 27th iteration of the craft awards.
Official Statements from BAFTA
BAFTA described the ceremony as “celebrating the best technical and creative achievements in television from the past year.” The organization highlighted the “collaborative nature of the craft awards” and noted that the special award “recognises Simone Pennant’s lasting impact on the screen industries through The TV Collective.” The ceremony’s sponsor, Samsung OLED, was acknowledged for supporting the event.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the ceremony’s host. Deadline reports that comedian Greg Davies hosted the event for BBC One, while The Hollywood Reporter and British Cinematographer identify comedian Maisie Adam as the host. Both accounts agree on the venue and sponsor but do not clarify the discrepancy.
Why the Craft Awards Matter
By spotlighting behind-the-scenes talent, the awards underscore the essential role of directors, writers, designers, and technicians in shaping television content. Recognition can influence career trajectories, funding decisions, and industry standards, reinforcing the value of technical excellence alongside on-screen performance.
What’s Next
The main BAFTA Television Awards are scheduled for Sunday, 10 May 2026 at London’s Royal Festival Hall, with Greg Davies confirmed as host. The upcoming ceremony will honour overall programme excellence, complementing the craft awards’ focus on technical achievement.
