UPDATE: As of 3:00pm ET, the BAFTAs ceremony was only just starting on Britbox but on a one-hour delay, as the ceremony itself had begun an hour earlier. A message on the streamer says it will air again in full at 7:00pm ET.
With a different awards show taking place in Los Angeles seemingly every weekend in the runup to the Oscars, it can be easy to forget that there is another awards season taking place across the Atlantic. This Sunday marks the biggest night in British film, as the British Academy Film Awards are set to take place in London’s Royal Albert Hall. The BAFTAs, as they are commonly known, are England’s equivalent of the Oscars, and the event should be equally star-studded.
Rebel Wilson is hosting the BAFTAs, making her debut as the ceremony’s emcee. The broadcast will feature Emilia Jones performing a song from “CODA,” along with a tribute to James Bond from Dame Shirley Veronica Bassey to mark the franchise’s 60th anniversary. Lady Gaga, who is nominated for Best Actress, will present the Rising Star award.
The BAFTAs will take place on Sunday, March 13 at 2:00 p.m. ET/11:00 a.m. PT, with red carpet coverage beginning an hour earlier on the British Academy’s Facebook page. If you live in the United States, the best way to watch the BAFTAs is through Britbox, the new streaming service from BBC Studios and ITV. Britbox, which recently signed a deal to become the exclusive home of the BAFTAs in North America, is available as a standalone subscription service for $6.99 a month or $69.99 a year.
The BAFTAs are notable for often serving as an early indicator of Oscar success. Last year’s BAFTAs were a “Nomadland” sweep, with the British awards foreshadowing the film’s eventual wins for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actress in a Leading Role. “Dune” received the most BAFTA nominations of any film this year, receiving nods in 11 categories. It was followed by “The Power of the Dog” with eight, and “Belfast, which scored six nominations. Many of the top Oscar nominees will be competing in the same categories at the BAFTA, so the show will be a preview of key matchups including Will Smith and Benedict Cumberbatch facing off for Best Actor.
Sunday’s broadcast will only focus on film, but the British Academy Television Awards will take place on Sunday, May 8.
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