Netflix drama Adolescence dominated Sunday night’s Bafta Television Awards, emerging as the biggest winner of the ceremony, while The Celebrity Traitors and Last One Laughing also enjoyed major success.
Adolescence collected four awards in total, setting a new record for the most wins in a single year at the Bafta TV Awards.
The hard-hitting limited series, which sparked nationwide debate after its March 2025 release, was named best limited series and also earned multiple acting honours for its cast.
Among its wins were prizes for Stephen Graham, Owen Cooper and Christine Tremarco.
At just 16, Cooper made history as the youngest ever recipient of the best supporting actor award.
Cooper’s award adds to an already remarkable run of recognition, including an Emmy, Golden Globe, National Television Award, Royal Television Society award and Actor Award for his role as a boy accused of murdering a female classmate.
In his acceptance speech, he reflected on ambition and inspiration, “In the words of John Lennon, you won’t get anything unless you have the vision to imagine it.”
“So in my eyes I think you only need three things to succeed: one, you need an obsession; two, you need a dream; and, three, you need the Beatles.”
Stephen Graham was named best leading actor for his role as Cooper’s on-screen father, marking his first Bafta win after seven previous nominations. Christine Tremarco won best supporting actress for playing his mother.
Graham used his speech to encourage younger audiences, “We’re not digging holes, we’re not digging ditches, we’re not saving lives, but we have the opportunity to tell the human condition, and we have the obligation to tell beautiful stories and we need to keep that going.”
He added a Beatles reference to close, “The kid’s already said it, but in the words of the Beatles, all we need is love.”
Elsewhere, Narges Rashidi won best leading actress for portraying Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe in BBC One’s Prisoner 951. She dedicated the award to the real-life figure she portrayed, “Your resilience, your dignity, your love through impossible circumstances have moved us all.
Your courage will stay with me for the rest of my life. This is for you.”
ITV’s Code of Silence, starring Rose Ayling-Ellis as a deaf woman assisting police through lip reading, won best drama.
Reality and entertainment categories were also highly competitive. The Celebrity Traitors, which attracted more than 15 million viewers last year, won best reality programme. Host Claudia Winkleman dedicated the award to its cast, praising their “dignity, gusto and their entire hearts.”
The show also produced the night’s most memorable TV moment, as voted by the public, with Alan Carr’s surprise victory standing out.
Carr joked in his speech,”Was I good? Was I really – or were the other celebrities just thick?!”
Prime Video’s Last One Laughing won best entertainment programme, beating major BBC contenders. Bob Mortimer earned best entertainment performance for his role in the series.
Steve Coogan won best actor in a comedy for How Are You? It’s Alan (Partridge), saying, “Doing comedy in these troubled times is so important. It’s a privilege to make people laugh after all these years.”
He added, “I will keep on doing it. If anyone wants to know when Alan Partridge is going to die, it’s about the same time that I am going to die.”
Katherine Parkinson won best comedy actress for Here We Go, while Amandaland took best scripted comedy.
In current affairs, Gaza: Doctors Under Attack, originally dropped by the BBC over impartiality concerns before airing on Channel 4—won its category. Reporter Ramita Navai said, “This award means so much to us.”
She added,”These are the findings of our organisation that the BBC failed to show but we refused to be silenced and censored and we thank Channel 4.”
Ben de Pear also questioned the BBC during his speech, thanking journalists in Gaza.
Netflix’s Grenfell: Uncovered won best single documentary.
Other winners included EastEnders (best soap), Scam Interceptors (best daytime show), and Go Back To Where You Came From (factual entertainment).
Lifetime honours went to Dame Mary Berry, who received the Bafta Fellowship at 91.
She said, “I’m really bowled over by this accolade. I’m a cook, I’m a teacher, so I feel very honoured to be given Bafta’s highest award.”
She also paid tribute to her late son, “William is in heaven, but I thank him.”
Consumer champion Martin Lewis received the Special Award and became emotional as he reflected on his childhood loss, “For six years, barring school, I barely left the house. Now I’m picking up a Bafta.”
He added, “So I dedicate this to consumer journalism, where I found my voice.”
Full list of winners
Best limited series: Adolescence
Best leading actor: Stephen Graham (Adolescence)
Best supporting actor: Owen Cooper (Adolescence)
Best supporting actress: Christine Tremarco (Adolescence)
Best leading actress: Narges Rashidi (Prisoner 951)
Best drama: Code of Silence
Best reality programme: The Celebrity Traitors
Most memorable TV moment (public vote): Alan Carr (The Celebrity Traitors)
Best entertainment programme: Last One Laughing
Best entertainment performance: Bob Mortimer (Last One Laughing)
Best actor in a comedy: Steve Coogan (How Are You? It’s Alan (Partridge))
Best comedy actress: Katherine Parkinson (Here We Go)
Best scripted comedy: Amandaland
Best current affairs: Gaza: Doctors Under Attack
Best single documentary: Grenfell: Uncovered
Best soap: EastEnders
Best daytime show: Scam Interceptors
Best factual entertainment: Go Back To Where You Came From
Bafta Fellowship: Dame Mary Berry
Special Award: Martin Lewis
