Who Won BAFTAs 2026? ‘Adolescence’ Dominates in a Record-Breaking Night for British Television

The 2026 BAFTA Television Awards delivered one of the most memorable nights in recent British TV history, with Netflix’s Adolescence emerging as the undisputed winner of the evening. The emotionally charged drama swept major categories and broke records, while shows like The Celebrity Traitors, Amandaland, Code of Silence, and Last One Laughing also walked away with major honours.

Held at London’s Royal Festival Hall on 10 May 2026 and hosted by Greg Davies, this year’s ceremony celebrated the best in British television across drama, comedy, documentaries, factual programming, entertainment, and live broadcasting.

The awards reflected a television industry increasingly driven by emotionally powerful storytelling, socially relevant documentaries, and entertainment formats capable of attracting massive audiences.

‘Adolescence’ Becomes the Story of the Night

No programme had a bigger impact than Adolescence. The Netflix limited drama won four awards, setting a new record for the most wins by a single show during one BAFTA TV Awards ceremony.

The series won:

• Best Limited Drama
• Best Leading Actor for Stephen Graham
• Best Supporting Actor for Owen Cooper
• Best Supporting Actress for Christine Tremarco

The drama became a cultural talking point after its release in 2025, with audiences and critics praising its exploration of youth violence, trauma, and family relationships.

Stephen Graham finally secured his first BAFTA after seven previous nominations for his role as the father of a boy accused of murdering a female classmate. During his acceptance speech, Graham emphasized the importance of storytelling, saying:

“We have the opportunity to tell the human condition, and we have the obligation to tell beautiful stories.”

One of the night’s standout moments came when 16-year-old Owen Cooper became the youngest-ever winner of the BAFTA TV Award for Best Supporting Actor.

In an emotional speech, Cooper referenced The Beatles:

“You only need three things to succeed: one, you need an obsession; two, you need a dream; and, three, you need the Beatles.”

The show’s dominance confirmed its place as one of the defining British television dramas of the decade.

Full Spotlight on the Major BAFTA TV 2026 Winners

Several other programmes and performers shared the spotlight throughout the evening.

Best Drama Series: Code of Silence

ITV’s Code of Silence won Best Drama Series, beating competitors including Blue Lights and This City Is Ours. The series starring Rose Ayling-Ellis received praise for its representation of deaf characters and its crime-thriller storytelling.

Best Leading Actress: Narges Rashidi

Narges Rashidi won Best Leading Actress for portraying Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe in Prisoner 951. Her emotional acceptance speech dedicated the award to the British-Iranian woman imprisoned in Tehran for six years.

Rashidi told the audience:

“Your resilience, your dignity, your love through impossible circumstances have moved us all.”

The award highlighted the continued strength of politically charged and real-life inspired dramas in British television.

Comedy Winners Bring Laughter to the Ceremony

While Adolescence dominated the drama categories, comedy productions also had major victories.

Amandaland Wins Best Scripted Comedy

BBC One’s Amandaland secured the Scripted Comedy award, continuing the legacy of Motherland, where the character first appeared. Creator Holly Walsh dedicated the win to people “going through a process of reinvention.”

Steve Coogan Triumphs as Alan Partridge

Steve Coogan won Best Actor in a Comedy for How Are You? It’s Alan (Partridge).

In classic Alan Partridge style, Coogan joked:

“If anyone wants to know when Alan Partridge is going to die, it’s about the same time that I am going to die.”

Meanwhile, Katherine Parkinson won Best Actress in a Comedy for Here We Go.

‘The Celebrity Traitors’ Continues Its Massive Popularity

BBC One’s The Celebrity Traitors proved that reality television remains a dominant force in British entertainment.

The programme won:

• Best Reality Show
• P&O Cruises Memorable Moment Award

Alan Carr’s dramatic victory in the show was voted the most memorable television moment of the year by the public.

Host Claudia Winkleman praised the show’s cast during the ceremony, calling them:

“Extraordinary… who played with dignity, gusto and their entire hearts.”

Alan Carr, meanwhile, brought humour to the event with his acceptance speech:

“Was I good? Was I really — or were the other celebrities just thick?!”

The programme’s success reinforced how reality competition formats continue attracting enormous audiences in the streaming era.

Entertainment and Streaming Platforms Score Big

Streaming services had another strong year at the BAFTAs.

Prime Video’s Last One Laughing

Prime Video’s comedy competition Last One Laughing won Best Entertainment Programme, while comedian Bob Mortimer took home Best Entertainment Performance.

Apple TV+ Wins International Category

Apple TV+’s Hollywood satire The Studio won the International award, beating major global hits including:

• The Bear
• Severance
• The White Lotus
• The Diplomat

The win highlighted Apple TV+’s growing influence in prestige television worldwide.

Powerful Documentaries and Journalism Recognized

The BAFTAs also showcased television’s role in tackling difficult global issues.

Gaza: Doctors Under Attack Wins Current Affairs

One of the evening’s most politically charged moments came when Gaza: Doctors Under Attack won the Current Affairs category.

The documentary had previously been shelved by the BBC before later airing on Channel 4 due to concerns over impartiality.

Producer Ramita Navai used the stage to discuss the humanitarian impact of the Gaza conflict, while producer Ben de Pear publicly criticized the BBC’s earlier decision not to air the film.

Grenfell: Uncovered Wins Best Single Documentary

Netflix’s Grenfell: Uncovered won Best Single Documentary, revisiting the devastating 2017 Grenfell Tower fire that killed 72 people.

The award demonstrated continued public interest in investigative documentaries examining institutional failures and national tragedies.

Honourary Awards Deliver Emotional Moments

Two honorary awards produced some of the night’s most emotional speeches.

Dame Mary Berry Receives BAFTA Fellowship

At 91 years old, Dame Mary Berry received the BAFTA Fellowship — the academy’s highest honour.

The beloved television personality said:

“I’m a cook, I’m a teacher, so I feel very honoured to be given BAFTA’s highest award.”

She also paid tribute to her late son William, who died in 1989.

Martin Lewis Receives Special Award

Consumer finance expert Martin Lewis received the BAFTA Special Award for his contributions to broadcasting and consumer journalism.

Lewis gave one of the evening’s most heartfelt speeches, reflecting on the death of his mother when he was 11 years old.

“Life can be transformed, it can get better.”

His speech resonated deeply with audiences watching the ceremony.

What the 2026 BAFTAs Reveal About Television Today

This year’s winners reflected broader trends shaping the television industry:

Emotionally Intense Drama Is Dominating

Shows like Adolescence demonstrate the growing audience demand for psychologically complex and socially relevant storytelling.

Streaming Services Continue Expanding Influence

Netflix, Apple TV+, Disney+, and Prime Video all secured major wins, confirming that streaming platforms now dominate prestige television alongside traditional broadcasters.

Reality TV Remains a Ratings Giant

The continued success of The Celebrity Traitors proved that audiences still crave shared entertainment experiences and social-media-driven reality programming.

Documentary Journalism Is More Important Than Ever

The recognition for films like Gaza: Doctors Under Attack and Grenfell: Uncovered showed television’s ongoing importance in investigative journalism and public accountability.

Complete List of Major BAFTA TV Awards 2026 Winners

Here are some of the evening’s biggest winners:

A Landmark Year for British Television

The BAFTA TV Awards 2026 will likely be remembered as the year Adolescence reshaped expectations for British television drama.

The ceremony celebrated not only commercial success and star performances, but also storytelling capable of confronting difficult social realities, creating emotional connections, and sparking national conversations.

From Owen Cooper’s record-breaking victory to the emotional tributes by Mary Berry and Martin Lewis, the night reflected television’s enduring power to entertain, challenge, and unite audiences.