Kirsty lights the way for journalism - Angus Robertson

Kirsty Wark with the Fellowship Award during the 2025 BAFTA Television Awards. Picture: Ian West/PA Wire

Mr Bates vs The Post Office not only won the Bafta for limited drama; ITV was handed a separate award for backing the series that forced Westminster to confront a grave miscarriage of justice. The ceremony underlined how the screen industry across the UK is thriving, which is reflected in Scotland’s screen sector. Buoyed by new studio space at Kelvin Hall, Leith and Bathgate, the industry attracting inward investment and skilled jobs far beyond London’s orbit.

Host Alan Cumming was the evenings host and showman-in-chief. He strode on in a Traitors‑style cloak—Cumming hosts the US version of the show—swapped into a blue tux, pale‑pink sparkles and signed off in dark velvet.

Blue Lights claimed drama series, Marisa Abela and Lennie James took the lead acting prizes for Industry and Mr Loverman respectively, while Ruth Jones and Danny Dyer scooped the comedy performances. Disney’s Shōgun lifted the international award, and Netflix’s once‑fancied Baby Reindeer left with just a single statuette, confounding the expectations of many.

The evening’s most heartfelt moment belonged to Scottish broadcasting legend Kirsty Wark, honoured with the Bafta Fellowship for her outstanding contribution to news. Knowing Kirsty as a fellow journalist and having also been subject to her forensic questioning as a politician, there is absolutely no doubt about how deserving she was for the award. Her standing ovation echoed across social media, proof that journalism is valued by the public.