Virtual ceremony to air on BBC One

Richard Ayoade is to host this year’s Bafta awards, it has been announced.

The IT Crowd star takes over from Graham Norton, who stepped down after last year's event.

The ceremony, already postponed from earlier in the year, will now take place on Friday July 31, with winners accepting their awards virtually. It will be broadcast on BBC One later that evening, too.

Ayoade joked: ‘I am as surprised as you are that this is still going ahead.’

The separate Bafta Craft awards, for off-screen talent, will take place on July 17, hosted by Stephen Mangan.

Nominations for both sets of awards will be announced next Thursday.

Amanda Berry, chief executive at Bafta said: ‘We want to celebrate and reward the talented individuals who make up the television industry, both behind and in front of the camera, many of whom have continued to entertain and inform the nation in recent weeks.’

Published: 29 May 2020