The 2009 British Academy Of Film & Television Awards Are Handed Out
British television stars made their way to the Royal Festival Hall in London, England yesterday for the 2009 British Academy of Film and Television Awards (ie. the UK Emmy Awards). Gossip Girl star Ed Westwick, Skins star Kaya Scodelario and Mischa Barton (who really had no reason to be at the awards show at all) all appeared at yesterday’s award show … as did Jennifer Saunders who, it must be said, looked Absolutely Fabulous with her short blonde hair’do:
Naturalist David Attenborough, actor Kenneth Branagh and comedy duo French and Saunders have been honoured with gongs at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (Bafta) awards. In a glittering ceremony in London, Attenborough picked up the specialist factual Bafta for “Life in Cold Blood,” his series on reptiles and amphibians — the eighth time he and his wildlife programmes have been honoured here. “Our thanks, of course, go to the spitting cobras, axolotls, golden frogs, dwarf chameleons, those happy tortoises, and this (award) belongs not to me or to them but the production team,” the 82-year-old said. Actor and director Branagh, best known for his Shakespearean roles on stage and on screen, took his first Bafta for a television appearance for “Wallander,” which he produced and also stars in as a Swedish detective. Accepting the best drama award, which comes 20 years after he won a film Bafta for Henry V, Branagh thanked the BBC for commissioning the show. “They took a risk in wondering whether the world would be interested in the troubled life of a melancholy Scandinavian, but as I have spent half my life trying to make a living doing that, it wasn’t such a stretch for me,” he said, referring to his performances as the Danish prince “Hamlet.” Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders, who have been cracking jokes together for the past 30 years, were jointly given the academy fellowship, which Saunders said was a “great honour.” Golden Globe-winning US drama “Mad Men,” about an advertising agency in 1960s New York, won the prize for best international programme.
Additionally, Skins took home the Philips Audience Award which is the only award voted on by the audience and honors the Best Programme of 2008. It was accepted on behalf of the show by Kaya Scodelario (who plays Effie) and Hannah Murray (who plays Cassie):
I understand that over 22,000 votes were cast and the amazing show Skins came out on top. I absolutely contend that Skins is the best TV series on the air both in the UK and here in the US … it’s really an amazing show and I’m glad to know that it has been honored in this way. Congrats!!
[Photo credit: Splash News; Source]
Tags: 'Skins', Ed Westwick, Hannah Murray, Jennifer Saunders, Kaya Scodelario, Mischa Barton, The British Academy Film and Television Awards
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April 27th, 2009 at 10:33 am
Skins was totally deserving of it…and Kaya looks *amazing*!
April 27th, 2009 at 10:54 am
Dont hold your breath for series 3 *sigh*
April 27th, 2009 at 10:55 am
I agree that Skins is very deserving of the award. I just saddened that the original cast is gone now. I miss Sid! And Cassie…and Anwar…
This all being said, looking forward to season 3 coming to BBC America soon. I just hope it is as good as the first two seasons.
April 27th, 2009 at 10:56 am
Skins is absolutely amazing. That is exactly how you do a teen drama. Season 3 surprised me. I’m impatiently waiting for season 4 now, which Channel 4 decided on not long after the season 3 finale.
April 27th, 2009 at 10:58 am
I don’t mean to be annoying but her name is Kaya Scodelario, not Scodelano, and she plays EffY O=]
No i’m not obsessed with Skins *cough*
April 27th, 2009 at 11:16 am
Series 3 is drastically different than the previous two. Personally, while I like the new cast, I don’t LOVE them like I did with the last crew. At the end of the series I just didn’t care what happened to any of them like I did with Tony and Co.
But to each their own.
I’m so glad I don’t get BBCam anymore I hate the censorship. The whole point of the show to me is the realism whether it’s good or bad. And when you cut the little things out just because it’s not considered appropriate by US standards it’s a bit annoying.
April 27th, 2009 at 11:29 am
@JoZee — As I understand it, the only censoring that BBC America does to the show is to bleep out the word “fuck”, they leave the other swear words intact. The music is also removed from the show only because of music rights being different in the two countries … I don’t feel the censorship adversely affects the show at all.
April 27th, 2009 at 11:48 am
Jennifer Saunders looked fabulous!! I think I’ll break out some AbFab episodes today..
April 27th, 2009 at 12:38 pm
Micha Barton is actually British Trent, her whole family is from there and she spent her earlier childhood there. guess the accent changed when she came to America. But her roots are in England.I used to love Misha but she is just kinda Bla now.
April 27th, 2009 at 12:44 pm
mischa barton seems like she’ll go wherever she’s allowed in the door. and photographed of course.
April 27th, 2009 at 12:46 pm
@Samantha — yep, I think you are correct. someone needs to close the door.
April 27th, 2009 at 1:04 pm
WOW Mischa looks unbelievable! So classy.
April 27th, 2009 at 1:32 pm
Series 3 of skins wasnt great, not so keen on the new characters and everything seemed much more exagerated and unbelieveable. Saying that it is a great show and deserved the bafta.
April 27th, 2009 at 2:23 pm
LOOOOVE Skins so much. Even Series 3. I cannot wait for Series 4. Not that they can compare to the originals<3
April 27th, 2009 at 2:41 pm
Yay for Skins! Currently on series 2, ep 1. I love all of ‘em, despite the fact of my friends telling me what happens to who… grr.
April 27th, 2009 at 3:17 pm
@JoZee – Skins series’ 1&2 is SO deserving of this award, but honestly, I agree the American viewers are going to be disapointed; series 3 was just completely sub-par. Almost everything felt forced and to be honest, I, too, didn’t care for any of the new cast. I had to force myself to finish the series and when I missed the last episode, didn’t get round to watching it (legally!) on the Channel4 website for almost a month. That’s how unexciting it was!
April 27th, 2009 at 3:20 pm
Trent, you need to watch Gavin and Stacey. It has aired on BBCAmerica but season one comes out May 5 on dvd. If you fall in loveand can’t wait for season two and the Christmas special to be released over here, you can order region two dvds from Amazon.co.uk and will just need a multiregion player (also available from our Amazon). LOVE THAT SHOW!!! BBCAmerica edited some and I prefer the unedited—makes it more funny.
April 27th, 2009 at 3:38 pm
Life in Cold Blood is SO COOL! Trent and everyone else, you have to watch it. It will seriously blow your mind!!
April 27th, 2009 at 4:52 pm
Series 3 of skins does not hook the viewer right away, however, if you stick with it, it definitely gets so much better. I absolutely loved Series 1 and 2, and event though I miss the original cast, I loved Series 3. The characters are completely different from the originals and I think that is a great thing. So Trent, whatever you do, don’t stop watching Series 3 after the first few episodes, stick with it and it gets so good!!!
April 27th, 2009 at 6:08 pm
Mischa Barton looks absolutely beautiful. That dress, her hair, just wow.
April 27th, 2009 at 8:20 pm
I just finished watching the season4 finale and season 5 premier of FRIENDS where Jennifer Saunders plays Ross’s new mother-in-law… soo funny!!! I totally <3 her!
April 27th, 2009 at 10:02 pm
Ugh Mischa looks awful. I dont know what happened to her, she was so unbelievably beautiful on the OC.
April 28th, 2009 at 9:53 am
i love skins! i youtubed it during series 3. :) wish shows were that raw on primetime haha. they deserved to win and can’t wait for series 4