BAFTA TV Awards eligibility rules explained – why Line of Duty and It's a Sin aren't nominated
Everything you need to know about BAFTA's new rules for eligibility and dates for this year's ceremony.
The BAFTA TV Awards are just around the corner, with this year's ceremony taking place on Sunday 6th June – and there are a whole host of brilliant shows up for awards.
Small Axe, The Crown and I May Destroy You lead the pack with those shows having receiving 15, 10 and eight nods respectively when the BAFTA TV nominations 2021 were unveiled at the end of April.
Some other recent shows are nowhere to be seen – including huge hits such as Line of Duty and It's a Sin – but fear not, these are not major omissions on the part of BAFTA, it's simply the case that these series were not eleigible for this year's awards due to their release dates.
In order to qualify, shows had to be transmitted in the period between 1st January 2020 and 8th January 2021 (extended from the original deadline of 30th November 2020). Since It's a Sin first aired on 22nd January and Line of Duty didn't land on our screens until 21st March, neither of them qualifies for this year's awards – but they will for the BAFTAs 2022.
The BAFTA TV Awards Ceremony was rather different in 2020, going ahead without a studio audience and at a delayed date, due to the coronavirus pandemic. Despite lockdown easing and rules relaxing, this year's ceremony is also set to have a socially distanced studio format when it take place on 6th June. Richard Ayoade is returning to host, and will be joined by a small number of presenters either in person or via video calls.
As well as the updated ceremony format, this year also marks the implementation of the changes put in place in 2020 to address the awards' lack of diversity and account for the effects of the pandemic on the television industry.
Read on for an explainer about the BAFTA eligibility rules below.
What are the new BAFTA rules for 2021?
Perhaps the biggest change sees the formal introduction of the BFI Diversity Standards, a scheme which was successfully piloted in 2020.
These standards will be phased in over the next few years, with 2021 requiring productions to meet at least one of the Standards and complete information on Standard C (which focuses on new entrants and development opportunities) while in 2022 they must meet Standard C and at least one other Standard.
The four Standards relate to on-screen representation, themes and narratives, creative leadership and project team, industry access and opportunities and audience development.
Other changes will see an increase in the number of nominees across all performance categories, with the total rising from four to six across the board.
There will still be just four nominees in all non-performance categories, but each entry will now be able to list up to six named nominees or production company representatives.
Meanwhile, BAFTA will also offer winners the chance to purchase two additional masks for creatives who were part of the creative process but not one of the six named nominees.
As usual, broadcasters will be allowed to put forward two additional entries after round one voting but there is a change here too, with BAFTA asking that at least one of those two additional entries comes from an under-represented group.
And BAFTA will also be introducing mandatory conscious voting training for all members, in addition to providing voting members "a clearer contextualisation of ‘excellence'".
Are there any new BAFTA TV categories for 2021?
For the first time the 2021 awards will see a Daytime category, to "recognise the important role that daytime programming plays in the lives of viewers and in providing a pipeline for new and underrepresented talent".
Jimmy McGovern's Moving On, Richard Osman's House of Games, The Chase and the Great House Giveaway have all been nominated in the brand new category this year.
There will also be a merging of the Sport and Live Events categories for one year only, due to the pandemic, with the minimum percentage of live reduced from 70 per cent to 51 per cent.
Meanwhile, the Breakthrough Talent category of the Television Craft Awards has been renamed Emerging Talent and divided into two categories: fiction and factual.
What are the other BAFTA TV eligibility changes for 2021?
Given the huge impact the pandemic has had on filming in 2020, the eligibility window for the Soap and Continuing Drama category was extended to the end of January 2021.
Another change saw British craftspeople become eligible in the Television Craft categories for work overseas, as long as their usual place or residence and employment is the UK.
What are the dates for the BAFTA TV Awards 2021?
Tuesday 24th November: first entry deadline for shows aired before 30th November 2020
Friday 8th January: final entry deadline for programmes broadcast in December 2020
Thursday 21st January - Thursday 4th February: voting takes place
Monday 29th March - Wednesday 14th April: Juries sit
Tuesday 27th April: Virgin Media Must-See-Moment shortlist announced
Wednesday 28th April: TV and Craft nominations announced
Monday 24th May: British Academy Television Craft Awards
Sunday 6th June: Virgin Media British Academy Television Awards
- For the latest news and expert tips on getting the best deals this year, take a look at our Black Friday 2021 and Cyber Monday 2021 guides.
What has BAFTA said about the changes?
Hannah Wyatt, Chair of BAFTA’s Television Committee previously said: “We are delighted to confirm the updated rules and eligibility criteria today, alongside the dates for the 2021 awards.
"This announcement comes in the wake of the BAFTA 2020 Review publication, which involved an in-depth consultation with the industry and signalled the beginning of a significant cultural shift at BAFTA.
"We saw significant progress in the diversity of our 2020 Television Awards and these additional changes are designed to continue that trajectory, ensuring BAFTA champions an industry taking proactive steps to level the playing field.”
Find out what to watch tonight with our TV Guide.
