British Academy Children’s Award Winners Revealed

LONDON: The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) has announced the winners from this year’s British Academy Children’s Awards, which took place at London’s Roundhouse over the weekend.

Cartoon Network’s hit series The Amazing World of Gumball scored two wins, for best animation and best writer. CBBC’s Horrible Histories special episode celebrating the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death won for best comedy. The drama award went to TrueTube’s Refugee, marking the first time the category has been won by an online channel. The victor in the factual category was the CBBC documentary The Boy on the Bicycle (My Life).

First-time BAFTA winner Nick James was recognized for his role in CBBC’s Hank Zipzer. Iain Stirling, another first-time winner, was named best presenter for the CBBC game show The Dog Ate My Homework. The independent production company of the year award went to Sixteen South, while CBeebies won best channel of the year for the fifth time.

The interactive: adapted category was won by Get Well Soon Hospital App (Plug-in Media/Kindle Entertainment). Zodiak Kids Studios’ Secret Life of Boys won in the interactive: original category. Disney’s animated adventure-comedy Zootropolis was named best feature film. The game award went to Lego: Dimensions (TT Games/Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment). Animated short Good as Goaled (Wildseed Studios/Disney Channels EMEA/Disney XD) was victorious in the short-form category, while CBBC’s Sam & Mark’s Big Friday Wind-Up secured the win for entertainment.

Other winners included I Can’t Go to School Today (Mosaic Films for BBC Learning) for learning: primary; Ten Pieces II (Somethin’ Else and BBC Music Television for BBC Learning/BBC Two) for learning: secondary; Topsy and Tim (Darrall Macqueen/CBeebies) for preschool live action; Hey Duggee (Studio AKA/CBeebies) for preschool animation; and Cartoon Network’s We Bare Bears for international.

Animator and storyboard artist Peter Western was given the Special Award for his contribution to children’s media. Also announced were the results of the BAFTA Kids’ Vote. The Next Step came out on top in the TV category, Minecraft won the game vote, and the film category win went to Zootropolis.

The 2016 British Academy Children’s Awards ceremony, hosted by Doc Brown, took place on Sunday, November 20. Presenters included Gordon Ramsay, Steve Backshall, Ore Oduba, Ashley Kendall, Emma Willis, Tom and Giovanna Fletcher, and Laura Whitmore.