Strength of the U.K. TV Industry Reflected in 2025 BAFTA Nominations
Jane Millichip, the CEO of BAFTA and former Chief Content Officer and Chief Commercial Officer at Sky Studios, expresses her enthusiasm for the recently announced nominations for the 2025 BAFTA Television Awards. She emphasizes that these nominations showcase the vitality and creativity inherent in the U.K. television landscape.
“The British TV sector is in rude health, creatively and in terms of craft production quality,” she shares with The Hollywood Reporter. “The range of the styles and genres and the depth of the quality is really on display here. And we have quite a lot of first-time nominees, particularly in the performing categories, which is really refreshing. Almost half the [contenders in the] performing categories are first-time nominees, including some surprising names, such as Jonathan Pryce and Danny Dyer.”
Leading Nominations and Diverse Offerings
Netflix’s acclaimed series Baby Reindeer stands out as the frontrunner, garnering eight nominations across both the BAFTA Television Awards and the BAFTA Television Craft Awards. Following closely, Disney+’s Rivals, Apple TV+’s Slow Horses, and ITV’s Mr Bates vs the Post Office each received six nominations, underscoring a competitive year for television.
Millichip is also keen to highlight the impressive variety within the drama category. “We have big, meaty stories of societal change, such as Mr Bates vs The Post Office and Baby Reindeer, as well as beautiful adaptations of literary works like Wolf Hall and One Day,” she notes. Additionally, she emphasizes the inclusion of a volume drama among the best drama series nominees, calling attention to Blue Lights and acknowledging the skills required to execute high-quality volume productions.
Focus on Diversity in Talent
When discussing diversity, Millichip explains the approach taken by BAFTA regarding entries: “The only demographic question we ask for entry is gender, but I think you can see, particularly from the performance nominations, that there’s probably about the same ethnic diversity of previous years.” She proudly points out that half of the nominated directors are women, indicating a shift toward recognizing and promoting female talent in the industry. She asserts, “It’s not for us to tell anybody how to vote. But the one thing we can do is ensure that our voting members see the full spectrum of talent out there.”
Future of U.K. Television Remains Bright
Despite facing funding hurdles that have impacted certain productions, Millichip remains optimistic about the future of the U.K. television sector. She concludes with a lighthearted note, stating, “It’s a good time to be a couch potato,” highlighting the rich viewing options available to audiences today.