Killing Eve and Patrick Melrose were the big winners at the BAFTA TV Awards in London.





The BBC America drama, which was created by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, took home the best drama series award as well as for Jodie Comer as best actress and Fiona Shaw for best-supporting actress. In the main drama category, it beat breakout BBC One terror hit Bodyguard, BBC/Amazon co-pro Informer and Sky sleeper hit Save Me, reports Deadline.
Comer, who plays murderous lead Villanelle, beat her Killing Eve co-star Sandra Oh as well as Bodyguard’s Keely Hawes and Mrs Wilson’s Ruth Wilson in the lead actress category.
Shaw, who plays MI6 agent Carolyn Martins, beat Keeley Hawes (Mrs Wilson), Billie Piper (Collateral) and Monica Dolan (A Very English Scandal) to win best-supporting actress. She called the role “probably the greatest pleasure of my life” and remarked on Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s “glass shattering genius and wayward imagination.”
Killing Eve’s wins come after BAFTA deemed it eligible despite the fact that the cat-and-mouse spy thriller was originally commissioned by US broadcaster BBC America. BAFTA ruled it eligible as “the majority of its creative contribution is British” including creator, Waller-Bridge, its production company, Sid Gentle Films, one of its leads, Jodie Comer, and many of its executive producers including Sally Woodward Gentle. The BBC acquired the show, via Endeavor Content, after the AMC Networks-backed broadcaster ordered it.
BBC America boss Sarah Barnett said, “The incredible love for Killing Eve from critics and fans continues to delight and overwhelm us all.”
Benedict Cumberbatch took home the best actor award for Sky/Showtime co-pro Patrick Melrose, which also won for best mini-series. The best actor award marks his first win in the category after six previous attempts, three for Sherlock. He beat A Very English Scandal’s Hugh Grant, Killed By My Debt’s Chance Perdomo and Kiri’s Lucian Msamati in the category. The five-part miniseries, which stars Cumberbatch as the titular Melrose, beat A Very English Scandal, C4/Hulu co-pro Kiri and Mrs Wilson for best mini-series.
“I think I’m going to fall over. I breathe rarefied air but I’m very used to being a bridesmaid, not the bride,” said on stage.
The event took place at the Royal Festival Hall in London this evening in a star-studded bash hosted by Graham Norton.