THE Queens of the small screen last night celebrated a glittering night of girl power at the Bafta TV awards.
At a right royal celebration, Britain’s top female talent collected a series of gongs, while the Lionesses’ Euro 2022 campaign won in the sport category.
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Guests — including Tess Daly in a stunning pink and gold gown — saw the real Queen’s skit with Paddington Bear crowned the most Memorable Moment.
Simon Farnaby played a footman in the heart-warming sketch which came during the Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
He said: “I can tell you that Paddington had a very joyful Jubilee tea that day.
“But it was also perhaps a farewell because, of course, the person who most deserves this award is no longer with us to receive it.
“We can only accept it on her behalf and say thank you, Ma’am, for everything.”
Ben Whishaw, the voice of Paddington, said: “It was wonderful to be asked and most of all I thought the Queen did a great job of acting with nothing.
“It was just a stick and a tennis ball on it. She did a brilliant job.”
Party At The Palace was named best live event.
There was a royal flavour in the best daytime triumph too, as King Charles’ visit to The Repair Shop was honoured.
Yet in a major surprise for viewers Imelda Staunton, who plays The Crown’s Queen, was snubbed as lead actress.
Derry Girls and Bad Sisters triumphed across comedy and drama.
Stars including Emma Willis, Mollie King, Georgia Toffolo, Billie Piper, Vogue Williams, Oti and Motsi Mabuse, and Joel Dommett with wife Hannah Cooper saw Claudia Winkleman sweep the entertainment board for her ratings-busting run on the BBC surprise hit The Traitors.
After scooping the reality and constructed factual prize, plus the entertainment performance trophy, she joked at London’s Royal Festival Hall: “I can’t get too emotional because I wear so much eyeliner.
“I can’t believe it. A year ago today we went to Inverness, I had a meeting and I was like, ‘Just to be clear, we have clocks and ceremonial pouches and that’s fine with everyone?’
“And they were like, just absolutely go for it. No one is more shocked than us!”
Producer Mike Cotton said: “It’s going to be totally different for series two. Like all good murder mysteries, everybody knows how to play the game now. We’ll have to turn it on its head.”
Channel 4’s coming-of-age sitcom Derry Girls won the scripted comedy category, and Sister Michael actress Siobhan McSweeney took the female comedy performance gong.
Wearing a pair of Nike Air trainers under her red gown, she said: “I am trembling, I couldn’t believe it. I really wanted this.
“But I became an actor to live as many lives as I can and I always see Sister Michael every time I look in the mirror!”
She added: “I think where we have left them is in a good place.”
Sharon Horgan’s Apple TV+ dark comedy Bad Sisters was victorious as best drama, while one of its stars, Anne-Marie Duff, took supporting actress.
Sharon dedicated the win to “all the sisters out there and to all the mummies”.
After cheekily turning down a male journalist’s question, choosing to answer a woman instead to show female solidarity, Anne-Marie said:
“It was a dream job — all these incredible characters for women.
“Television is the arena where we take the most creative chances now.
“We don’t have to worry about box office like cinema, so writing has never been more interesting than it has on the small screen.”
Kate Winslet won both lead actress and single drama alongside her real-life daughter Mia Threapleton for Channel 4’s I Am Ruth.
Kate said of the shock bullying-themed film: “This means a great deal, that small British television drama can still be mighty.
“Real painful stories like this really do happen to women — we need this and we want to be heard. I Am Ruth was made for parents and their children. If I could cut this in half I would give it to my daughter Mia Threapleton. She took my breath away.”
Kate went on: “These moments don’t get old for me at all.”
Classic comedy Goodness Gracious Me star Meera Syal was awarded the Bafta Fellowship.
She said: “I checked the envelope like, ‘Is this meant for somebody else?’
“This is on behalf of my ancestors, my fellow travellers. It’s symbolic. As women we’re really bad at talking about ourselves.”
Elsewhere, it was a great night for the BBC with 11 wins, including Best Soap for Casualty.
Channel 4 was hot on its heels with nine.
Streaming channels were also well represented, with four wins.
But ITV struggled, with only The Masked Singer honoured in the best entertainment programme category.
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Movie for Peaky up in the air
PEAKY Blinders star Cillian Murphy isn’t sure if a film version of the crime epic will ever be made.
Writer Stephen Knight had promised fans a movie was coming and was expected next year.
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Cillian would only say: “Hopefully yeah. If there’s more story to tell I’m going to be there.
“Where do we go? That’s the question we have to pose, but I’m up for it.”
Asked if he’d ever play a lighter role, he laughed, saying: “I’ve done a bit of comedy on stage but I don’t get sent the romantic comedies for some reason.”
Real win for Mo’s true story
SIR Mo Farah won the single documentary gong for his revelations that he had been human trafficked to the UK as a child.
And he dedicated the award for The Real Mo Farah to his family.
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Olympian Sir Mo, 40, said: “It was so hard at times. But I had the courage of my wife and kids.
“I definitely feel different now.”
He collected the award alongside wife Tania, 37.
She said: “It worried him over the years but he’s been able to use that as a driving force, that’s why he’s a champion.”