Baby Reindeer leads BAFTA TV nominations amid real-life stalker controversy

Netflix's psychological drama Baby Reindeer has taken the lead at this year's BAFTA Television Awards, securing eight nominations. Created by and starring Scottish comedian Richard Gadd, the show has received widespread acclaim, though it remains at the centre of controversy due to a real-life defamation lawsuit. Gadd is nominated for Best Leading Actor, while co-stars Jessica Gunning who plays stalker Martha and Nava Mau as Teri are both in the running for Best Supporting Actress.

Following closely behind, ITV’s Mr Bates vs The Post Office, Apple TV+’s Slow Horses, and Disney+’s Rivals have each earned six nominations. Mr Bates vs The Post Office, which exposed one of the UK’s biggest miscarriages of justice involving sub postmasters falsely accused of fraud, is also up for Best Limited Drama alongside Baby Reindeer, Netflix’s One Day, and BBC One’s Lost Boys and Fairies.

Other notable nominations include Sherwood and Blue Lights in the Best Drama category, facing off against superhero drama Supacell and the period drama Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light. Despite Wolf Hall earning a nod for Best Drama and Damian Lewis securing a Supporting Actor nomination for his role as Henry VIII, its lead Mark Rylance was unexpectedly left out.

In the entertainment sector, familiar faces dominate the Best Entertainment Performance category, with Ant & Dec (Saturday Night Takeaway), Claudia Winkleman (The Traitors), and Stacey Solomon (Sort Your Life Out) among the contenders. Meanwhile, Danny Dyer has earned his first BAFTA nomination in the Male Comedy Performance category for Mr Bigstuff, competing against the likes of Extraordinary’s Bilal Hasna and Kaos’s Nabhaan Rizwan.

Richard Gadd’s Baby Reindeer dominates BAFTA TV nominationsNetflix

The Best Leading Actress category is filled with powerhouse performances. Monica Dolan (Mr Bates vs The Post Office) is up against Billie Piper (Scoop), Anna Maxwell Martin (Until I Kill You), Lola Petticrew (Say Nothing), Marisa Abela (Industry), and Sharon D Clarke (Mr Loverman). For Leading Actor, Gadd faces stiff competition from David Tennant (Rivals), Gary Oldman (Slow Horses), Martin Freeman (The Responder), Lennie James (Mr Loverman), and Toby Jones (Mr Bates vs The Post Office).

This year’s BAFTAs also highlight some of TV’s most talked-about moments with the Memorable Moment award, which is open to public voting. Shortlisted scenes include Bridgerton’s intimate carriage moment, Mr Bates vs The Post Office’s emotional helpline call, and The Traitors’ shocking family revelation.

BAFTA TV Award Getty Images

With the BAFTA TV Awards set for May 11 at London’s Royal Festival Hall, hosted by Alan Cumming, all eyes are on these celebrated shows and performances. As the British TV industry navigates budget concerns and streaming competition, these nominations just proves the strength and diversity of storytelling on the small screen.