BAFTAs: Broadchurch And Doctor Who Winners At The British Academy Television Awards



Broadchurch and  Doctor Who: The Day Of The Doctor, both starring David Tennant, were both winners at the Arqiva British Academy Television Awards tonight. The awards were presented in a ceremony hosted by Graham Norton held at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.

Broadchurch topped three of the four categories in which it was nominated

Drama Series
The Broadchurch production team scooped the award win for the ITV series. The shortlist also included The Village, Top Of The Lake and My Mad Fat Diary, although Broadchurch was the bookies' favourite to win. The award was accepted by cast and crew including Chris Chibnall, Olivia Colman, Arthur Darvill, David Bradley, Jodie Whittaker, Andrew Buchan, Richard Stokes, Jane Featherstone and Sam Hoyle. Chris Chibnall had a huge list of personnel to thank, including the directors, composer Olafur Arnalds, costume designer Ray Holman, and in particular the greatest cast he could ever hope to write for, including 'the fabulous David Tennant', still away in Canada shooting Gracepoint.

Leading Actress
Olivia Colman, last year's double BAFTA winner, was victorious again this year, coming out top in the Best Actress category. She saw off competition from Helena Bonham Carter (Burton And Taylor), Kerrie Hayes (The Mill) and Maxine Peake (The Village) and a tearful Olivia gave praise for her amazing co-nominees. She called Chris Chibnall a genius and thanked him for writing the series. Standing opposite David Tennant, she said, was a joy and a treat, and she also had praise for Andrew Buchan and Jodie Whittaker. Touchingly she also thanked her husband, 'the best thing in the world'.

Supporting Actor
David Bradley won the Best Supporting Actor BAFTA for his performance as newsagent Jack Marshall. He competed against Rory Kinnear (Southcliffe), Nico Mirallegro (The Village) and Jerome Flynn (Ripper Street). In his thank you speech David thanked his family friends and agents, and also ITV for commissioning the series, Kudos for producing it, the cast and crew, directors James Strong and Euros Lyn and series creator Chris Chibnall. He also remarked that his agent had sent him a life size replica BAFTA mask in chocolate for Christmas and joked that now he would be able to take it down from the mantelpiece and eat it.

Radio Times Audience Award
Broadchurch was also one of the programmes shortlisted in the Radio Times Audience Award, the only prize that is voted for by members of the public. However, it was beaten by another of David Tennant's projects, Doctor Who: The Day Of The Doctor. The Doctor Who 50th Anniversary special also starred Matt Smith, John Hurt, Billie Piper and Jenna Coleman and holds the record for the biggest ever simulcast after its worldwide broadcast to television networks and cinemas on 23rd November 2013. 
The award was accepted by BBC Wales Head of Drama Faith Penhale, producer Marcus Wilson and episode director Nick Hurran. Faith praised the brilliant cast and also the writer and current showrunner Steven Moffat. She dedicated the award to anyone who had had a hand in Doctor Who over the last fifty years.

The full list of winners is available on the BAFTA website



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