The BAFTA's 2011 - Huge surprises all round

By Jason Wright (Entertainment Expert)

THE world famous Grosvenor House once again played host to the most coveted night in British television, the BAFTA’s.  Considered as British television’s equivalent to the Oscars, Sunday night’s ceremony, again broadcasted on BBC1, was anticipated to have another batch of expectant results.  But many people were wrong!

     The first key shock was in ‘Best Actor’ when ‘Eric and Ernie’s’ Daniel Rigby beat hot rivals Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock) and Matt Smith (Doctor Who) to the honour, the latter of two continuing a losing trend in awards.  Popular drama Sherlock did make up for winning the ‘Supporting Actor’ for Martin Freeman and then beating critically-acclaimed Downton Abbey to ‘Drama Series’.

     Despite its 50th anniversary storyline, Coronation Street just can’t buy a major award if its life depended on it as EastEnders again beat them to the ‘Continuing Drama’ award.  The BBC Four drama though ‘The Road to Coronation Street’ did win ‘Single Drama.’  The next surprise came when both popular US shows Glee and Mad Men were beaten by The Killing to the ‘International’ award.

     BBC News coverage of the historical transfer from Labour to coalition government was second best to ITV News feature on the infamous Cumbria shootings of Derrick Bird last summer for the ‘News Coverage’ honour.  BBC Sport however won the ‘Sport’ award for its excellent coverage of last year’s F1 title decider in Abu Dhabi.  Next to fall shockingly into losing was The X-Factor.  It lost the ‘Entertainment Programme’ award to ever-increasingly popular ITV1 gameshow The Cube, which fittingly concluded its third series on the same night, and its top prize of £250,000 is still yet to be won.

DESERVED: Sir Trevor won the BAFTA Fellowship

     Former ITN newsreader Sir Trevor McDonald was deservedly honoured with this year’s ‘BAFTA Fellowship’ award, to honour his work in news and current affairs for over 30 years.  Ceremony host Graham Norton also got an award for ‘Entertainment Performance’ for his work.  His chatshow has turned out to be a huge successful replacement for Jonathan Ross in BBC1’s late Friday night slot.

     To conclude the night of surprises, the ‘Audience Award,’ voted for by YouTube viewers, was expected to go to Downton Abbey but instead was awarded to ITV2’s real-life soap The Only Way Is Essex.  It may still have its critics but it has proven to become ITV2’s most popular programme on its launch last October.  It has made household names in its entire cast including Mark Wright and Amy Childs as well as being famed for its constant use of the phrase, ‘shut up!’  A move or a broadcast slot on ITV1 will soon surely beckon now.

     In conclusion, this year’s awards have certainly proven one testimony, never underestimate the underdog.

BAFTA 2011 WINNERS

Actor – Daniel Rigby

Actress – Vicky McClure

Supporting Actor – Martin Freeman

Supporting Actress – Lauren Socha

Entertainment Performance – Graham Norton

Female Performance in a Comedy Role – Jo Brand

Male Performance in a Comedy Role – Steve Coogan

Single Drama – The Road to Coronation Street

Drama Series – Sherlock

Drama Serial – Any Human Heart

Continuing Drama – EastEnders

International – The Killing

Factual Series – Welcome to Lagos

Specialist Factual – Flying Monsters in 3D

Single Documentary – Between Life and Death

Features – Hugh’s Fish Fight

Current Affairs – Zimbabwe’s Forgotten Children

News Coverage – ITV News at Ten: The Cumbria Murders

Sport – Formula 1: The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

New Media – Wallace & Gromit’s World of Invention

Entertainment Programme – The Cube

Comedy Programme – Harry & Paul

Situation Comedy – Rev

YouTube Audience Award – The Only Way Is Essex

Special Recognition Award – Peter Bennett-Jones

BAFTA Fellowship – Sir Trevor McDonald

Doctor Who - Matt Smith's Debut

Tonight marked the beginning of a new era for Doctor Who, as Matt Smith made his debut as the Time Lord, the 11th actor to do so.  He took over from David Tennant, who left the role on New Years Day.  Judgements over him have been made, but how did he do?  


As I am not a regular viewer of Doctor Who, here is the review of Episode 1 from Doctor Who fan, good friend of mine and fellow BA Journalism student at the University of Northampton, Rochelle Lye.


DOCTOR WHO - EPISODE 1


By Rochelle Lye

Tonight saw the 11th Doctor, Matt Smith, beginning his journey in time and space on the silver screen. It is the first time that fans saw what Matt Smith would bring to the role and with David Tennant being the Doctor in many hearts, he had an incredibly hard job on his hands. However being a Tennant fan myself, even I was felt incredibly moved by Matt Smith's performance.

Matt Smith has had to work hard at winning the public over and seems to have the most support in his home town Northampton, where he recently jumped on a Doctor Who bus along with his colleagues to visit the school he used to attend. To think Matt Smith was on the path to becoming a footballer, until an unfortunate injury stopped that career path and made him turn to acting.     

Clearly the Doctor Who team have re vamped the whole production, what with a new introduction and music, doctor, an assistant and writer, it seems that they have gone a bit old school, which I see as both good and bad.... I would have liked it if they had kept the Doctor Who music that had run throughout previous Doctor Who episodes.

However this is nothing to worry about. This explosive episode saw a slightly madder side of the Doctor, which is what we have seen before when Tennant first started out.

There were some witty lines and disgusting habits. (I beg you Matt Smith please do not dunk fish fingers in custard again) And of course alien forms are out to destroy the whole of Earth... again, leaving the Doctor with only 20 minutes to save earth and without a sonic screwdriver or his faithful TARDIS, which has also been re vamped in a beautiful way, to help him, what was the Doctor to do. Use a mobile phone and a laptop of course.

But it is not just Matt Smith that gives a surprising performance. Karen Gillian, who plays Amy Pond, the Doctor’s new glamorous assistant, is also just surprising. The red head, gives fans hope of a power strong assistant since Billie Piper's Rose. Yet she has a surprising Donner Noble situation, being a runaway bride, let’s hope the Doctor doesn’t find out too soon. 

This episode is really all about the Doctor and Amy and therefore we are not really introduced to anyone else that will have a real impact on the Doctor’s life.  

All in all, I think fans will be impressed by the new look and the up coming episodes look as explosive as the first.