Gavin & Stacey Christmas special snubbed by Bafta as it gets just one nomination as Netflix hit leads way with eight
GAVIN & Stacey: The Finale has been snubbed in the nominations for the Bafta TV Awards — despite getting a record 19.3million viewers.
The much-hyped return of the popular BBC comedy garnered just one nod, for Ruth Jones, 58, as “Nessa” in the female performance in a comedy category.
Her co-creator and fellow lead James Corden, 46 — “Smithy” in the show — was totally overlooked in the annual telly extravaganza.
None of the rest of the cast, including Mathew Horne, 46, Joanna Page, 48, Larry Lamb, 77, and Alison Steadman, 78, were picked for other categories either.
The 90-minute episode became the most-watched show since current records began in 2002 when it aired on Christmas Day last year — but Bafta juries, made up of industry experts, did not think it worthy of inclusion in the Scripted Comedy gong category.
Instead newer shows Alma’s Not Normal on BBC Two, Brassic on Sky Max, G’Wed from ITV2 and BBC One’s Ludwig will vie to be named best rib-tickler.
New mum and Brassic star Michelle Keegan will hope it is chosen. It’s been nominated four times before and ends this year after seven series.
Gavin & Stacey got one other nod in the publicly-voted Memorable Moment category.
Viewers flagged Mick (Larry Lamb’s) standing up to indicate he thought it was a bad idea for Smithy to marry Sonia (Laura Aikman). Elsewhere, two beloved TV stars do have cause to smile.
Rylan Clark, 36, and Rob Rinder, 46, are in the entertainment category running for BBC Two’s Rob and Rylan’s Grand Tour.
And after three decades in the business, Danny Dyer, 47, has finally landed a nod in the male comedy performance category for Mr Bigstuff on Sky Comedy.
Netflix’s stalker smash Baby Reindeer got most nominations with eight.
ITV’s powerful drama Mr Bates v The Post Office, Jilly Cooper romp Rivals on Disney+ and Slow Horses on Apple TV+ each received six.
ITV1’s Loose Women are up for the Daytime award. They won the same category at Tuesday’s Royal Television Society Awards.
The Baftas TV Awards are on Sunday, May 11.
JURY'S NOT SO TIDY
THEY may be industry experts, they might have worked in TV for years, but the Bafta jury has lost the plot.
And I’m not alone in thinking that. I stand among the 19.3million telly fans who tuned in to watch Nessa and Smithy finally find their fairytale on Gavin & Stacey this Christmas.
Granted, it wasn’t groundbreaking. But just one nomination from the snobby jury, for Ruth Jones, is an insult to Corden, the whole cast and crew — and a public who hold Gavin & Stacey so dear. The news is far from lush.