Absolutely Fabulous star Joanna Lumley will return to host the Bafta film awards in 2019. The actress – who took over presenting duties from Stephen Fry in 2018 – is set to lead the ceremony at London’s Royal Albert Hall on Sunday 10th February 2019, to be broadcast on BBC1.

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While nominees for most awards will be announced on Wednesday 9th January, the possible winners for the Rising Star category will be unveiled Thursday 3rd January.

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Bafta Film Awards 2019, Getty

Bafta also announced that the ceremony will include a special performance from group Cirque du Soleil, in residence at the Royal Albert Hall at the time.

Last year Lumley’s performance as host was overshadowed by an “inside joke” between herself and Jennifer Lawrence.

Lawrence was introduced on stage by awards host Lumley, who called her “the hottest actress on the planet… the ravishing Jennifer Lawrence”, to which the actress responded: “That was a bit much, but thank you, Joanna.”

After viewers were outraged by the “rude” comment, Lawrence later explained that it was an “inside joke” and that she’d been telling Lumley, in jest, to “go on and on and on about me” before she went on stage.

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The Bafta Film Awards will take place Sunday 10th February 2019

Oscars Statuettes for the Academy Awards, Getty

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Thomas LingDigital editor, BBC Science Focus

Thomas is Digital editor at BBC Science Focus. Writing about everything from cosmology to anthropology, he specialises in the latest psychology, health and neuroscience discoveries. Thomas has a Masters degree (distinction) in Magazine Journalism from the University of Sheffield and has written for Men’s Health, Vice and Radio Times. He has been shortlisted as the New Digital Talent of the Year at the national magazine Professional Publishers Association (PPA) awards. Also working in academia, Thomas has lectured on the topic of journalism to undergraduate and postgraduate students at The University of Sheffield.

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