JASON WATKINS beat out Benedict Cumberbatch to take the best actor honour at Britain’s top television awards on Sunday, while Georgina Campbell was named best actress by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). Cumberbatch, who plays Sherlock in the hit series of the same name, has been nominated more times than anyone else in the top categories of the BAFTA television awards, but had to forgo it once again as Watkins won for his portrayal of the title character in The Lost Honour of Christopher Jefferies.
The Hollywood actor was not at the ceremony but was said to be looking after his new wife who is heavily pregnant. It was Cumberbatch’s third nomination for his performance in the hit show.
The Lost Honour of Christopher Jefferies, which tells the true story of the title character’s false accusation of murder and the media vilification that followed, also received the award for best mini-series.
Sherlock did however win the audience award, which is voted by the public, ahead of Game of Thrones.
The winner in the international category was True Detective, starring Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson as two Louisiana detectives in their 17-year pursuit of a killer.
Campbell won for her portrayal of a victim of domestic abuse in the BBC Three drama Murdered by My Boyfriend.
Comedian Jessica Hynes used her win for best female performance in a comedy programme to make a stand against ongoing austerity cuts.
The actress who won her award for playing Siobhan Sharpe in W1A told the audience to rapturous applause: “I’m from a single parent family. I’m really worried about the cuts that are coming in state education and to people in low income families. Because I don’t feel low income means low talent, low imagination or low intelligence.”
Gemma Jones, who was last nominated in 1977, received her first BAFTA for Marvellous, a biopic of Neil Baldwin, who had been diagnosed as having learning difficulties but went on to become a successful circus clown.
Here’s the winner’s list in full
Entertainment Programme - Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway
Mini-Series - The Lost Honour of Christopher Jefferies
Factual Series - Life and Death Row
International - True Detective
News Coverage - Sky News Live at Five’s Ebola reports
Features - Grand Designs
Single Documentary - The Paedophile Hunter
Sport and Live Event - World War One Remembered
Current Affairs - Children on the Frontline: Dispatches
Supporting Actor - Stephen Rea, The Honourable Woman
Comedy and Comedy Entertainment Programme - The Graham Norton Show
Supporting Actress - Gemma Jones, Marvellous
Special Award - Jeff PopeSoap and Continuing Drama - Coronation Street
Drama Series - Happy Valley
Male in a Comedy - Matt Berry, Toast of London
Specialist Factual - Grayson Perry: Who Are You?
Radio Times Award - Sherlock
Female in a Comedy - Jessica Hynes, W1A
Special Award - Clive James
Reality and Constructed Factual - The Island with Bear Grylls
Single Drama - Marvellous
Scripted Comedy - Detectorists
Entertainment Performance - Ant and Dec, Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway
Leading Actress - Georgina Campbell, Murdered By My Boyfriend
Leading Actor - Jason Watkins, The Lost Honour of Christopher Jefferies
Fellowship - Jon Snow
