Best of British BAFTAs

Julian
Blog > What to watch
11 May • 7 min read

The TV BAFTAs are just around the corner. That’s why we’ve dug deep into our archive to find out the best BAFTA winning shows we’ve ever seen on British television. From celebrating the best of British shows like the IT Crowd, Peep Show and The Office to the Best of British talent including Sam Mendes and Olivia Coleman, we have no shortage of talent gracing our screens.

This year’s standouts

This year the Film BAFTAs celebrated a great many cinematic delights, from light hearted comedies to heart wrenching dramas there was definitely no shortage of splendour on display. Picking out only a few of these marvellous creations is a tough task but we would like to highlight a few of these fabulous flicks.

First on our list is the award winning dark comedy An Irish Goodbye. This brilliant piece of cinematic history is brought to us by Tom Berkeley and Ross White. It follows the story of two estranged brothers reunited after their mother’s death. Seamus O’Hara plays Turlough and James Martin plays Lorcan, and the two brothers must navigate their strained relationship as they come to terms with their mother’s sudden passing. With a brilliant script supported by these two talented actors, at only 23 minutes long there really is no excuse not to give this a watch.

Next up is a stunning short animation by Peter Baynton, Charlie Mackesy, Cara Speller and Hannah Minghella. The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse is a beautiful tale to watch with the whole family. It tells the story of four unlikely friends (a boy, a mole, a fox and a horse believe it or not!) in search of home. With breathtaking animation and an enchanting story this is a perfect film to enjoy on a family film night. Heartwarming and well deserving of its BAFTA and a place on this list.

Previous years highlights

Every year the BAFTAs show us phenomenal pieces of television and movies so we thought we would highlight some from the past few years. With so much choice it is shocking the judges were able to pick winners at all. Whilst we think they’re all winners, we’ve picked a few of our favourites to highlight.

I May Destroy You is a gripping dark comedy-drama that has won two BAFTAs. Created and starring the sensational Michaela Coel, it is no wonder it’s won big. Following Arabella as she tries to regain her memories around a traumatic night, this harrowing story explores the identity of sexual assault victims. Definitely not one for the faint hearted but we believe it’s a show everyone should watch at least once.

Another powerful female led series that is worth its weight in awards is the drama In My Skin by Kayleigh Llewellyn. The story follows Bethan as she struggles to cope with having a mentally ill mother, abusive father all whilst figuring out her awkward teenage years. Starring Gabrielle Creevy as Bethan this show is a hard hitting yet beautiful story of self discovery.

We could not in good conscience make this list without the distinguished Olivia Coleman. Since beginning her career she has racked up quite the impressive resume with renowned roles in both TV shows and movies. Whether she is the leading lady or a supporting character, Olivia Coleman always steals the show with her brilliantly expressive acting. As a beloved supporting character, Coleman has starred in shows such as Green Wing and Fleabag, showing her versatility in roles. As a leading lady she also shines like her brilliant portrayal as DS Ellie Miller in Broadchurch alongside David Tennant. No matter the role we are always blessed to see Olivia Coleman on our screens. Is it any wonder she’s BAFTA award winning?

The final mention for this list is Jodie Comer. Well known for her award winning performance on Killing Eve, Comer is an extremely talented actor able to change her accent as effortlessly as a chameleon changes its colour. Her performances in the likes of My Mad Fat Diary back in 2013 and her stage debut in Prima Facie on National Theatre in 2022 are more than reason enough for her to go down in acting history.

So there they are, some of our Best of British BAFTA moments, do you agree? Tell us on Facebook or Twitter about which reboots and comebacks you love and which you’d rather leave in the past.

With catch-up and on-demand you don’t have to miss a second of your favourite BAFTA winners. Manhattan TV has you covered with all the best British TV shows and movies right at your fingertips.

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