OPINION: Everything the BAFTAs got wrong in 2023

The BAFTA Television Awards is one of the biggest nights of the year for TV fans, and the BAFTAs 2023 was no exception. But, I can’t be the only one who questioned some of the, quite frankly, baffling decisions?

Rob Beckett and Romesh Ranganathan were an inspired choice for hosts, and they delivered plenty of laughs – mostly at the expense of the celebrity audience.

Good natured digs were aimed at the BBC, the Gary Lineker controversy, and Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield‘s visit to the late Queen’s lying in state. And I was laughing along probably too loudly (sorry neighbours)…

But things went awry when the ceremony, filmed from London’s Royal Festival Hall on Sunday night (May 14, 2023), started handing out awards…

Everything the BAFTAs got wrong in 2023

My jaw hit the floor several times during the BAFTAs 2023, not least when Bad Sisters won best Drama Series. The nominations for the BAFTA TV Awards were announced back in March, and I was only too happy to see Bad Sisters in the mix for best drama.

But win? Seriously? Bad Sisters is billed as a black comedy, and is pretty silly most of the time. It follows four sisters as they attempt to kill the husband of their fifth sister. And, like all viewers, I wanted coercive controller JP dead – and painfully. It was a great watch, and the cast was, on the whole, excellent.

Sherwood was my winner though, hands down. I watch a LOT of TV. And Sherwood was THE best thing on TV last year. It was sublime. BAFTA made the wrong decision not awarding the BBC One series the BAFTA for best Drama.

Somewhere Boy and The Responder were worthy opponents too. Gritty, funny, sad, and tackling life’s big issues. These are TV shows everyone needs to watch.

I would also argue that Bad Sisters didn’t belong in the Drama category when This Is Going to Hurt wasn’t. This Is Going to Hurt was funny AND desperately sad and dramatic, tackling all-too-human issues like love, death and suicide. So why wasn’t it nominated for best Drama?

Instead it was thrown into the category for best Mini-series, alongside A Spy Among Friends, The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe, and Mood which won. A travesty.

Baffling BAFTA decisions

Anyone who watched Lesley Manville as Julie Jackson in the cast of Sherwood will know she deserved all the awards. The scene where she discovered her husband had been murdered has been etched on my heart forever.

I love Anne-Marie Duff, and her portrayal of Grace Williams in Bad Sisters had me shouting at the TV. But her Irish accent slipped regularly. BAFTA awarded Anne-Marie the award for best Supporting Actress. But I think Lesley Manville was robbed.

And why was Anne-Marie Duff singled out, when each and every female role in Bad Sisters was noteworthy?

Tragically, White Lotus didn’t win anything either. It’s American, so could only enter in the International category. However it was beaten by Netflix’s Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. Another mind-blowingly misjudged decision.

Meanwhile, many – including me – were shocked that Kate Winslet won Leading Actress for I Am Ruth, a role she played opposite her real life daughter. She beat The Crown’s Imelda Staunton, Billie Piper in I Hate Suzie Too, Maxine Peake in Anne, Sarah Lancashire in Julia, and Vicky McClure in Without Sin.

While Billie Piper is a goddess in I Hate Suzie Too, Sarah Lancashire was my favourite to walk away with this. Although, I’ll be damned if she doesn’t win it in 2024 for Happy Valley.

Biggest shock of the BAFTAs 2023 night

Perhaps the biggest shock of the BAFTAs 2023 was the best Entertainment Programme reveal. The categories were Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway, Later… With Jools Holland: Jools’ 30th Birthday Bash, The Masked Singer, and Strictly Come Dancing.

All eyes were on Strictly or Ant and Dec to win. Both have won numerous times before. So imagine my surprise when The Masked Singer won!

Now I’m a fan; it’s good fun, and Joel Dommett makes a great host. But some of the judges are beyond annoying (you know who you are) and it’s, well, very, very silly.

Strictly gives us solid entertainment every year, from September to December, unlike The Masked Singer‘s six week run. Still, it could have been worse, the rather awful The Masked Dancer could have won instead! Just as well it was axed!

Finally, I’m not sure I’ll ever get over The Repair Shop: A Royal Visit beating The Chase in the Daytime category. Bradley, we’re as flummoxed as you are.

The right winners at the BAFTAs 2023

There were definitely a few solid decisions made by the BAFTA committee, though.

The Traitors won best Reality & Constructed Factual, beating Freddie Flintoff’s Field of Dreams, RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, and We Are Black and British. This was the right decision. In a world saturated with reality TV shows, The Traitors offered something new and hellishly addictive.

Lenny Rush absolutely deserved his award for Male Performance in a Comedy Programme. He rocks as Ollie in the brilliant comedy Am I Being Unreasonable?

In the best Sport category, the UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 was a worthy winner, beating Wimbledon 2022, and the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Lastly, the always watchable Ben Whishaw was the right winner for the BAFTA Fellowship Leading Actor award. This Is Going to Hurt should have won more.

Read more: Happy Valleys fans ‘fuming’ that BBC One drama hasn’t received a nomination in BAFTAs 2023

The BAFTA Television Awards is currently available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

What do you think of the BAFTAs 2023 winners and losers? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix.