– Vote for Damian Lewis and
Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light –
by Tim Glanfield | The Times | March 30, 2025
The nominations are in and the shortlists have been decided for the biggest awards in British television, the BAFTA TV awards.
Richard Gadd’s Netflix sensation Baby Reindeer, a dark comedy drama about stalking and sexual abuse leads the pack with eight nominations, including for its two lead actors — Gadd and Jessica Gunning — and for best limited drama.
ITV’s Mr Bates vs the Post Office has six nominations, recognising the show’s huge impact on public discourse and politics in the last year, with Disney+’s Jilly Cooper adaptation Rivals and Apple TV+’s Slow Horses also garnering six nods each.
The Disney+ drama about the Troubles in Northern Ireland, Say Nothing, has four nominations as does the BBC documentary Life and Death in Gaza.
But who should win and who will win in each of the biggest categories?
Our critic Tim Glanfield gives his verdict, and you can vote for your choice in each category, and tell us why in the comments below.
The 71st annual BAFTA TV Awards will be held on Sunday, May 11, 2025 at London’s Royal Festival Hall (also airing on BBC One and the BBC iPlayer), and hosted by Alan Cumming.
In the U.S., Canada, Australia, and the Nordics you can watch the BAFTA Awards OnDemand on BritBox or download the BritBox app. The ceremony begins at 2 p.m. ET. You can also stream the red carpet show on BAFTA’s YouTube channel starting at 10:30 a.m. ET. BritBox offers a 7-day free trial for new subscribers that you can cancel at anytime.
Drama Series
Blue Lights (BBC1)
Sherwood (BBC1)
Supacell (Netflix)
Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light (BBC1)
Who Should Win
Wolf Hall. We had to wait nearly a decade for the follow-up to Peter Komsinsky’s 2015 Hilary Mantel adaptation, but there were no complaints when the breathtaking six-part series arrived as an early Christmas present. Once again featuring towering performances from Mark Rylance and Damian Lewis at the head of a starry cast, the show received universal acclaim.
Who Will Win
Wolf Hall. It’s hard to see how anything else can take Wolf Hall’s crown on the night.
Supporting Actor
Ariyon Bakare, Mr Loverman (BBC1)
Christopher Chung, Slow Horses (Apple TV+)
Damian Lewis, Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light (BBC1)
Jonathan Pryce, Slow Horses (Apple TV+)
McKinley Belcher III, Eric (Netflix)
Sonny Walker, The Gathering (Channel 4)
Who Should Win
There may have been nine years between his portrayals as Henry VIII, but Damian Lewis remindedus what a talent he is as he lit up the screen inWolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light. Mark Rylance won the best actor gong for the original, so it feels like Lewis deserves his day in the Bafta sun.
Who Will Win
There’s a good chance the Bafta judges agree it’s a Damian Lewis year.
Read the rest of the original article at The Times