TV BAFTAs: Chernobyl leads the field with 14 nominations
The Sky Original drama explores the truth around the world's worst nuclear disaster and its devastating aftermath.
Thursday 4 June 2020 18:15, UK
Chernobyl is leading the field in this year's British Academy of Film and Television Arts nominations (BAFTA), with double the nods of any other show.
The Sky Atlantic/HBO mini-series has earned a whopping 14 BAFTA nominations, including leading actor, mini-series and supporting actor.
It follows its success earlier this year when the five-part mini-series, which tells the story of the world's worst nuclear disaster and its aftermath, took home 19 Emmys.
Set in and around the Ukraine power plant before, during and after the blast on 26 April 1986, its impressive ensemble cast includes Emily Watson, Stellan Skarsgard and Jared Harris, with the latter two both received acting nods.
The intricate work replicating the injuries caused by the radioactive explosion has been rewarded with both a nomination for make-up and hair-dressing and special effects.
Second in line in the nominations tally was Netflix drama The Crown, which got seven nods, including best supporting actress for Helena Bonham Carter for her portrayal of Princess Margaret.
Bonham Carter's approach to the role was left-field to say the least, with the actress using a medium to commune with the late princess's spirit in preparation. It remains to be seen if her unusual approach will pay off.
This third season of the royal saga starred Olivia Colman as the reigning monarch, however Colman failed to get a nod for leading actress.
Fleabag received six nods, including comedy writer and scripted comedy for its creator and star Phoebe Waller-Bridge.
Waller-Bridge will also go head-to-head with her on-screen sister, played by Sian Clifford, for female performance in a comedy programme.
Alas, no nominations were forthcoming for Andrew Scott's Hot Priest.
Fleabag also received a nomination for Virgin Media's Must-See Moment - the only award voted for by the public.
Giri/Haji - a thriller spanning London and Tokyo - got six nominations, including leading actor for Takehiro Hira and supporting actor for Will Sharpe.
His Dark Materials, based on the fantasy book by Philip Pullman, got five nods, matching Shane Meadow's gritty Channel Four drama The Virtues, which will compete with Chernobyl in the mini-series category.
Other mini-series contenders in the running are ITV's A Confession, based on a real-life police investigation around the murder of two women, and Scottish BBC thriller The Victim.
Killing Eve, which topped the nominations board last year, got four nominations this time around.
Sex Education and Top Boy also received four nods.
In the news category, Sky News' coverage of the Hong Kong protests will go up against Emily Maitlis' infamous interview with Prince Andrew over the Epstein scandal, the ITV coverage of election night and a Victoria Derbyshire special on knife crime.
Controversial Michael Jackson documentary Finding Neverland got nods including factual series and best factual director for filmmaker Dan Reed.
Disappointingly, the best entertainment performance is an all male event, albeit with two first-time nominees - Frankie Boyle and Mo Gilligan - up against Lee Mack and Graham Norton.
And EastEnders, which yesterday announced it would be coming off air for several weeks due to earlier filming restrictions caused by coronavirus, was snubbed in the soap category.
Usual suspects Coronation Street and Emmerdale made the cut, along with medical dramas Casualty and Holby City.
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The ceremony was originally scheduled to take place on 17 May but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nominees will be invited to accept their awards virtually in a socially-distanced ceremony hosted by Richard Ayoade and held in a closed studio.
The BAFTA Games Awards took place in the same way in March, hosted by comedian Dara O'Briain.
The British Academy Television Craft Award nominations - celebrating those behind the camera - were also revealed.
The virtual TV BAFTA ceremony will take place on the 31 of July, and broadcast on BBC One.