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Adolescence, Jack Thorne’s groundbreaking drama about a teen accused of murder, has been nominated for the most 2026 TV Bafta awards.
Described by the Guardian as “the closest thing to TV perfection in decades”, the Netflix psychological crime drama leads the pack with 11 nominations, including the first Bafta TV performance nominations for supporting actor and actress awards for four of its stars: Ashley Walters, Christine Tremarco, Erin Doherty and Owen Cooper.
Created by Thorne and Stephen Graham, and directed by Philip Barantini, the drama was also nominated for Bafta’s Memorable Moment award, the only honour voted for by members of the public, for the scene where Jamie snaps at the psychologist.
Jane Millichip, CEO of Bafta, said: “2025 [was] an exceptional year for television, reflected in 124 nominated programmes that highlight the strength and originality of British storytelling.
“From powerful documentaries and standout comedy to homegrown drama and the international series that captured global attention, this year’s nominees demonstrate a medium at its creative peak,” she said. “It’s especially exciting to see so many first‑time performance nominees, showcasing the vibrant new talent shaping the future of our industry.
Photograph: Hera Pictures/BBC
First-time nominees include Ellis Howard (What It Feels Like for a Girl) and James Nelson-Joyce (This City is Ours) who are both up for best leading actor, as well as best leading actress nominee Narges Rashidi (Prisoner 951). Nine-year-old Rafael Mathé also gets his first Bafta nod for best supporting actor in Nick Cave adaptation The Death of Bunny Munro, alongside Owen Cooper for Adolescence, while Chyna McQueen receives her first for best supporting actress in crime drama Get Millie Black.
Aimee Lou Wood (The White Lotus, Film Club) and Erin Doherty (A Thousand Blows, Adolescence) both have double nominations, while Rose Ayling-Ellis – who won the breakthrough star award in 2022 – is up for best supporting actress for deaf thriller Reunion.
A Thousand Blows, a historical drama series created by Steven Knight and based on the Forty Elephants, an all-female crime syndicate, received seven nominations, including drama series, leading actress and costume design.
Andor, a politically charged, slow-burn thriller set in the Star Wars world, received six nominations including costume design, director: fiction and graphic effects.
Trespasses, an adaptation of Louise Kennedy’s masterly novel, set in 70s Belfast, also received six nominations for limited drama, costume design, director: fiction and writer: drama.
The Celebrity Traitors received five nominations for presenter Claudia Winkleman and the tear-filled, traitorous performance of comedian Alan Carr, faithful Joe Marler, self-effacing strategist Nick Mohammed and Celia Imrie, whose comedic, candid moments became highlights.
Amandaland is the most nominated comedy show with four nods, including three of its stars – Lucy Punch, Philippa Dunne and Jennifer Saunders – up for best actress in a comedy. It is also nominated for best scripted comedy along with Big Boys, How Are You? It’s Alan (Partridge) and Lucia Keskin’s Things You Should Have Done.
Louis Theroux picked up a nomination in the best documentary category for his BBC film Louis Theroux: The Settlers, while Channel 4’s Gaza: Doctors Under Attack – which the BBC pulled out of airing – is up for best current affairs.
Six of the nominees are participants of Bafta’s talent programmes, including Olaide Sadiq and Ellis Howard, for Breakthrough 2025; Mawaan Rizwan Breakthrough 2024; Jack Rooke and Rose Ayling-Ellis Breakthrough 2022 and Dawn Shadforth, Elevate 2017.
The BBC received most nominations for a broadcaster, with 73, followed by Netflix and Sky with 28 nominations and Channel 4 with 25.
The 2026 TV Baftas will take place on Sunday 10 May 2026, hosted by the Taskmaster himself Greg Davies.
