BAFTA Launches Free Online Event Series

The British Academy of Film & Television Arts (BAFTA) has unveiled the lineup for BAFTA Television: The Sessions, an annual event series celebrating nominated TV shows and talent.

Throughout the event, panels of Virgin Media British Academy Television Awards and British Academy Television Craft Awards nominees and industry experts will offer insight into their craft and the programs they have worked on, including Chernobyl, Fleabag, The Virtues, Top Boy, The End of the F***ing World, Don’t F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer and Leaving Neverland. BAFTA Television: The Sessions, supported by TCL, will take place online from July 13 to July 30. It is open to industry and public guests, with tickets available now at events.bafta.org.

Highlights include sessions featuring Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Guz Khan, Jamie Demetriou, Suranne Jones, Jared Harris, Ncuti Gatwa, Samantha Morton, Stephen Graham and Youssef Kerkour. Television Craft sessions include speakers discussing their work in Casting for Comedy and Drama. There are also sessions focussing on the nominations in hair and make-up, editing, and documentary.

In previous years, The Sessions took place as a single day of in-person events and talks. This year, BAFTA is adapting the format to take place digitally, in-line with government restrictions amid the ongoing pandemic. The series of events and social content is scheduled to lead up to the British Academy Television Craft Awards on July 17 and the Virgin Media British Academy Television Awards on July 31.

Kam Kandola Flynn, senior manager of BAFTA’s television program, said: “We are excited to be hosting The Sessions virtually this year for the first time, allowing us to deliver a larger program of events than ever before to celebrate and showcase some of our Television and Television Craft nominees. It is a great opportunity to hear first-hand from the creative minds who make the TV people love, on-screen talent and behind-the-scenes teams, in a series of online events throughout July.

“TV has played an important and joyful role in entertaining, informing and connecting the nation during these last few months and we are excited to bring this ambitious digital program to TV fans, industry professionals and the creative talent we support. A huge thanks to all the talent who have agreed so generously to give us their time and expertise to make this series happen. Congratulations to all our nominees!”