Bafta to honour Sacha Baron Cohen

Bafta is to honour Sacha Baron Cohen with an award for excellence in comedy.

The Los Angeles branch of the British film and TV academy will award the Borat star the Charlie Chaplin Britannia Award at its annual bash on November 9.

The award is designed to reward someone whose work and impact ‘exemplifies the uniquely transcendent quality of excellent comedy’.

‘Sacha's bravery and comic ingenuity is richly deserving of an honour that bears the name of Charlie Chaplin,’ Bafta Los Angeles' chairman, Gary Dartnell, said. ‘We are delighted to be honouring him.’

Previous winners of the award have included Betty White, Ben Stiller and South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone.

This year’s ceremony will also be honouring George Clooney, Benedict Cumberbatch, Kathryn Bigelow and Ben Kingsley.

Published: 9 Sep 2013