BAFTA’s ‘ridiculous’ decision following ITV’s Mr Bates vs The Post Office win blasted
ITV won a Special Award for the drama, but the full speech wasn’t shown on TV…
Mr Bates vs The Post Office was a big winner at last night’s BAFTA TV Awards.
It scooped the award for Limited Drama, with the ecstatic cast heading up on stage to collect their trophy.
Later, ITV also won the BAFTA Special Award for commissioning the series. However, a decision to not show the acceptance speech in full, instead showing it as part of a roundup of awards presented earlier, irked some viewers…
The Mr Bates Special Award was shown on TV as part of an Awards Presented Earlier montage (Credit: BBC)
Mr Bates wins big at BAFTA TV Awards
The TV BAFTAs took place yesterday (May 11), starting at 5pm and lasting for around three hours. It was then edited into a two-hour show that aired on BBC One from 7pm.
And, due to producers having to edit out an hour of the live show for the broadcast, difficult decisions clearly had to be made. Except some viewers at home were less than impressed with what the BBC cut.
Earlier in the night, Mr Bates vs The Post Office was awarded the gong for Limited Drama.
Many cast members – including Toby Jones and Monica Dolan – headed on stage to collect the award, alongside Alan Bates and series producer Patrick Spence.
Spence gave an impassioned acceptance speech, saying: “This story only had the impact it did because the people that watched it stood up and demanded action with rage. May it be a warning to those who are supposed to have our backs.
“We’ve shown we cannot abide liars and bullies. And we’d like to put on record that being trusted by the sub post-masters to tell their story has been the greatest privilege of our lives.”
Kevin Lygo’s speech was cut down last night (Credit: BBC)
‘Pay these people what they are due’
Later, ITV was handed one “BAFTA’s highest honours” for commissioning the series, the Special Award.
Floella Benjamin presented the award and ITV’s director of television, Kevin Lygo, accepted it. However, the award win was only shown as part of an Awards Presented Earlier clip – something Best Soap was also relegated to. None of the cast were on stage for the award.
Why on earth didn’t the Special Award for Mr Bates not make the broadcast?? Ridiculous.
Lygo used his speech to urge: “At a time when funding is tricky but not impossible, ITV and the BBC must continue to make these stories which hold power to account. We will continue to make them. As long as we are here, we will continue to do it.”
Mr Bates vs The Post Office wins the BAFTA for Limited Drama
#BAFTATVAwards with @pandocruises pic.twitter.com/5IxtJYiNVj— BAFTA (@BAFTA) May 11, 2025
Viewers react
Although viewers were pleased the show won the Limited Drama award, they were baffled over why one of the biggest honours of the night wasn’t shown in full on the TV.
“Why on earth didn’t the Special Award for Mr Bates not make the broadcast?? Ridiculous,” blasted one, who also claimed Mr Bates star Monica Dolan was “robbed” after she was beaten to the Best Actress in a Leading Role gong by Marisa Abela.
“No clip from this acceptance speech?” another said. They then shared their theory on why they thought the decision may have been made. “Too close to bone regarding ‘bullies and liars’ given current Westminster government not settling the compensation to those involved probably.”
A third urged: “BAFTA please show us the full speech.”
Elsewhere, there was further fury as viewers spotted two “iconic” stars ‘missing’ from the In Memoriam segment.
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