Bafta snubs and surprises: Casualty wins gold while The Crown misses out

It was a triumphant night for Michaela Coel and her powerful drama I May Destroy You at the Bafta television awards.

But there was disappointment for royal drama The Crown, which had been nominated for four prizes but left empty handed.

Josh O’Connor, who was nominated in the leading actor category for his turn as the Prince of Wales, was defeated by Normal People’s Paul Mescal, while Tobias Menzies, who plays the Duke of Edinburgh, lost out on the supporting actor prize to Small Axe’s Malachi Kirby.

Helena Bonham Carter, who plays Princess Margaret, was pipped to the supporting actress prize by Rakie Ayola for Anthony while Save Me Too beat the show to the drama series prize.

Kirby’s win was the only prize taken by Sir Steve McQueen’s anthology series, despite leading the nominations for the ceremony with six nods.

It had previously dominated at Bafta’s craft awards, where it won five awards, for makeup and hair design, costume design, production design, photography and lighting (fiction) and scripted casting.

Sky Arts series Life & Rhymes was the surprise winner of the entertainment programme gong, beating Saturday night staples Strictly Come Dancing, Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway and The Masked Singer.

Meanwhile Casualty was named best soap or continuing drama, just days after the BBC announced its spin-off show Holby City will end next year.

The medical drama defeated Coronation Street, EastEnders and Hollyoaks.