In being the first year when web-based broadcasters were considered eligible for the BAFTA TV awards, the crime drama ‘Breaking Bad’ beat a number of contenders for the Arqiva British Academy Television Award for best international program.
And even though, Kevin Spacey’s ‘House of Cards’ also getting the nod for the international category, the season-finale of Breaking Bad, aired on Netflix, that won the vote and the prestigious award along with it.
With the ceremony held at Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London, this award show is considered to recognize ‘the very best television shows broadcast on British screens over the past year’.
Two other shows also received prizes namely Channel 4’s “The IT Crowd” as well as “Southcliffe”. That said, the IT Crowd won prizes in other comedy performance categories with Katherine Parkinson and Richard Ayoade both winning BAFTAs for female and male performances in a comedy program.
Sean Harris, who stars as Stephen Morton in Southcliffe (a drama developed around a town’s shootings) and was nominated for the very first time, won the BAFTA for leading actor.
Yet the big winner was ITV’s Broadchurch, a cop drama, which picked up three BAFTAs – one of which being Olivia Colman who won the leading actress award.
Apart from these awards, Cilla Black – a recognized entertainer, singer and actress – won a special award for her contribution to 50 years of British television entertainment.
Along with her, Julie Walters also received the highest accolade that BAFTA offers, in the form of the Fellowship for her exceptional contribution (and groundbreaking work) in British television across a range of genres.
