BAFTA TV Awards 2026: best dressed and top winners

London’s Royal Festival Hall played host to the 2026 BAFTA Television Awards on Sunday evening, and the night delivered on two fronts. Inside, Netflix’s Adolescence made history as the most awarded series at a single main ceremony, sweeping four categories in one evening. Outside, the red carpet brought its own spectacle — glittering gowns, bold colour, and three notable baby bumps among the season’s most talked-about looks.

The looks that defined the night

Narges Rashidi, who won Leading Actress for her portrayal of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe in BBC One’s Prisoner 951, wore a pale pink one-shoulder gown that was quietly stunning — composed and elegant in a way that felt entirely appropriate for a woman carrying the weight of that particular role.

Aimee Lou Wood, nominated for both Film Club and The White Lotus, arrived in a vintage Valentino gown with a vampy aesthetic and smoky eye that made one of the stronger arguments for the power of a well-chosen archive piece.

Erin Doherty kept things precisely controlled in a strapless black 16Arlington gown paired with Cartier jewellery — sharp, unfussy, and entirely in keeping with the quiet intensity she brings to every role.

Adjoa Andoh made the boldest colour statement of the evening in a head-to-toe burnt orange co-ord that stood out in a sea of black and metallic. The Bridgerton star has always had confidence to spare, and this look was no exception.

Nafessa Williams, from Rivals, dazzled in a strapless silver Khaled Marwan gown with matching opera gloves — one of the carpet’s most complete looks, with the gloves elevating what could have been a straightforward metallic gown into something more considered.

Jessica Gunning stepped into a dramatic red floor-length gown with ruffled neckline and sleeves — a strong, full-commitment look that matched the Baby Reindeer star’s energy entirely.

Jodie Whittaker wore a red halterneck Rebecca Vallance gown with gold jewellery, the copper tones of her hair playing off the warmth of the dress in a way that felt genuinely considered rather than accidental.

Laura Whitmore was one of three women on the night celebrating a pregnancy, wearing a textured cream TG Botanical gown paired with Anni Lu jewels and a Stone and Mason clutch. She looked effortlessly polished.

Vogue Williams, also expecting her fourth child, chose a white lace-adorned gown and arrived with a new fringe — possibly the most unexpectedly stylish reinvention of the evening.

Scarlett Moffatt rounded out the baby bump trio in a chocolate brown slinky dress with a dramatic cape detail — proof that a good cape can elevate practically anything.

Amanda Holden turned heads in a grey tassel-adorned crop top and mermaid skirt with a long train, bringing the level of drama one has come to expect from her at any formal occasion.

Marisa Abela wore a fitted black Prada gown with an emerald necklace — one of the more understated looks of the evening, but all the stronger for it.

The winners that mattered

Adolescence dominated the awards, claiming Limited Drama, Leading Actor for Stephen Graham, Supporting Actor for Owen Cooper and Supporting Actress for Christine Tremarco. Graham’s win was his first despite eight previous BAFTA nominations in the acting categories — a long overdue recognition that he received with visible emotion. Owen Cooper, just 16, completed a full sweep of major industry honours that already included the Emmy, Golden Globe, SAG Award and Critics Choice Award.

The Leading Actress award went to Narges Rashidi for Prisoner 951, a BBC drama based on the ordeal of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe. Zaghari-Ratcliffe was in the audience, and Rashidi dedicated the award to her directly, saying her courage would stay with her for the rest of her life. It was the moment that silenced the room.

Code of Silence took Drama Series. Amandaland claimed Scripted Comedy. Katherine Parkinson won Best Actress in a Comedy for Here We Go. Steve Coogan took Best Actor in a Comedy for his Alan Partridge revival. The Celebrity Traitors won Reality, and Alan Carr’s win on the same show was voted the most memorable moment of the year by the public — a prize he collected with characteristic wit.

The Studio took International, beating The White Lotus and Severance among others. EastEnders won Soap. The BAFTA Fellowship — the Academy’s highest honour — was awarded to Dame Mary Berry, 91, who received a standing ovation from the room.

It was, by any measure, a night that reflected British television at a genuinely strong moment: youth claiming the stage, real-world stories demanding recognition, and Adolescence reshaping national conversations in a way that only the best television can.

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Featured image: Getty