BAFTA TV Awards left viewers ‘disgusted and outraged’ after a legendary star was snubbed from In Memoriam tributes on Sunday evening.
Actress Dame Maggie Smith, who is best known for roles in the likes of Harry Potter, Downton Abbey and The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie, passed away aged 89 on September 27 2024.
During the prestigious television awards, held at the Royal Festival Hall in London on Sunday, a number of much-loved stars were paid tribute to.
Michael Moseley, The Bill’s Roberta Taylor, Drag Race UK star The Vivienne and American actor Richard Chamberlain were among those who were included.
Broadcaster Henry Kelly, Coronation Street’s Timothy West and Brian Murphy were also spoken about.
However Maggie wasn’t included.
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BAFTA TV Awards leaves viewers ‘disgusted and outraged’ as legendary star is snubbed from In Memoriam tributes – but all isn’t as it seems
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The star as Violet Crawley in Downton Abbey back in 2018
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Maggie pictured as Jean Brodie in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie in 1969
Many of those watching at home to take to X, formerly known as Twitter, to point it out and share their upset.
One said on the social media platform: ‘@BAFTA – unless I missed it, Dame Maggie Smith not on your list of those departed in tonight’s award show. I’d say she was a lot more worthy of mention than some of those also-rans.’
‘#BAFTAS no mention of Dame Maggie Smith when remembering those who died in the last year. Shame on BAFTA.’
‘Where was Dame Maggie Smith’s acknowledgement in roll of honour?’
‘@BBCOne @BAFTA ….. where was Dame Maggie Smith in the remembrance section? Dame Maggie Smith how on earth could the BBC miss that one shameful.’
‘@BAFTA why no mention of Dame Maggie Smith in tonight’s memoriam section???’
Another pointed out: ‘Bafta TV Awards Maggie Smith and Joan Plowright, snubbed Maggie Smith and Joan Plowright, even if they are know mostly for film/theatre.
‘They did a lot of TV, especially in the early days when they did plays on TV and period dramas especially Shakespeare.
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Anthony Adjekum (pictured) passed away in November last year, while Paul Danan died on 15 January 2025
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The Vivienne, also known as James Lee Williams, passed away on January 5 2025
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Roberta Taylor, who passed away in July 2024, was also part of the celebrities who were paid tribute to
‘Maggie Smith was in iconic Downton Abbey. Plowright has a Golden Globe and Emmy for TV!’
However it has been highlighted that late Maggie and Joan were paid tribute to at the Bafta Film Awards in Memoriam in February.
Back in September, Larkin and Stephens, Maggie’s sons from her first marriage, said in their statement: ‘It is with great sadness we have to announce the death of Dame Maggie Smith. She passed away peacefully in hospital early this morning, Friday 27th September.
‘An intensely private person, she was with friends and family at the end. She leaves two sons and five loving grandchildren who are devastated by the loss of their extraordinary mother and grandmother.
‘We would like to take this opportunity to thank the wonderful staff at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital for their care and unstinting kindness during her final days.
‘We thank you for all your kind messages and support and ask that you respect our privacy at this time.’
Among the first to pay tribute was her friend Gyles Brandreth, who said: ‘The saddest news: the death of Dame Maggie Smith marks the end of a golden era and a quite extraordinary life.
‘She was a truly great actress, ‘one of the greats’ and simply the best company: wise, witty, waspish, wonderful. One of a kind in every way and consequently irreplaceable.’
Many of those watching at home to take to X, formerly known as Twitter, to point it out and share their upset
British theatre owner and producer Sir Cameron Mackintosh told the PA news agency: ‘It is with enormous sadness that today, British theatre has lost one of its greatest stars – the incomparable Dame Maggie Smith.
‘Many of Maggie’s finest performances have been on the stages of theatres now in my care – one of the dress circle boxes in the Sondheim Theatre is proudly named after her.
‘Over the decades, I have been privileged to see many of her unforgettable performances from her early days in revue, in the late-50s.
‘Whatever she was in, every line was electric – she was the master of the zinger.
‘I, and everyone at Delfont Mackintosh Theatres, salute a truly great artist. Maggie was a brilliant original who can never be replaced or ever forgotten.’
2025 BAFTA TV AWARD WINNERS AT A GLANCE
Drama Series – Blue Lights (BBC One)
Limited Drama – Mr Bates vs the Post Office (ITV1)
International – Shogun (Disney+) – WINNER
Scripted Comedy – Alma’s Not Normal (BBC Two)
Entertainment – Would I Lie To You? (BBC One)
Entertainment Performance – Joe Lycett, Late Night Lycett (Channel 4)
Strictly Come Dancing: Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell’s Waltz to You’ll Never Walk Alone (BBC One)
Factual Entertainment – Rob and Rylan’s Grand Tour (BBC Two)
Factual Series – To Catch a Copper (Channel 4)
Specialist Factual – Atomic People (BBC Two)
Live Event Coverage – Glastonbury 2024 (BBC Two)
News Coverage – BBC Breakfast: Post Office Special (BBC One)
Single Documentary – Ukraine: Enemy In The Woods (BBC Two)
Leading Actress – Marisa Abela, Industry (BBC One)
Leading Actor – Lennie James, Mr Loverman (BBC One)
Supporting Actress – Jessica Gunning, Baby Reindeer (Netflix)
Supporting Actor – Ariyon Bakare, Mr Loverman (BBC One)
Female Performance in a Comedy – Ruth Jones, Gavin & Stacey (BBC One)
Male Performance in a Comedy – Danny Dyer, Mr Big Stuff (Sky Comedy)
Reality – The Jury: Murder Trial (Channel 4)
Soap – EastEnders (BBC One)
Daytime – Clive Myrie’s Caribbean Adventure (BBC Two) – WINNER
Current Affairs – State of Rage (Channel 4)
Shortform – Quiet Life (BBC Three)
Sport – Paris 2024 Olympics (BBC Sport)
Children’s Non Scripted – FYI Investigates: Disability and Me (Sky Kids)
Children’s Scripted – CBeebies As You Like It at Shakespeare’s Globe (CBeebies)
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