Steve McQueen’s Small Axe anthology series leads Bafta TV awards nominations

Sir Steve McQueen’s Small Axe anthology series leads the nominations at the Bafta television awards, where it is in the running for 15 gongs.

There is recognition for John Boyega for his performance as Met Police officer Leroy Logan in the instalment Red, White And Blue, while Letitia Wright and Shaun Parkes are nominated for their performances in Mangrove and Sir Steve is nominated for best director.

The anthology, which was aired on the BBC, is in the running for nine craft prizes and six television awards, including best mini-series, and supporting actor nods for Malachi Kirby and Micheal Ward.

The Netflix royal drama The Crown scored 10 nods, six in craft categories and four in TV categories, including recognition for Josh O’Connor as the Prince of Wales, Tobias Menzies as the Duke of Edinburgh and Helena Bonham Carter as Princess Margaret.

The show is nominated for the best drama series prize alongside Gangs Of London, I Hate Suzie and Save Me Too.

Michaela Coel’s powerful sexual assault drama I May Destroy You received eight nominations, including recognition for leading actress Coel and her co-star Paapa Essiedu, as well as a supporting nod for Weruche Opia, while the show is nominated for best mini-series.

Normal People, an adaptation of Sally Rooney’s novel of the same name, scored seven nods, including best mini-series, while stars Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones are recognised in the leading actor and leading actress categories.

Edgar-Jones will compete against Wright, Coel, Billie Piper for I Hate Suzie, Hayley Squires for Adult Material and Jodie Comer for Killing Eve.

Mescal is nominated alongside Boyega, O’Connor, Essiedu, Parkes and Waleed Zuatier to Baghdad Central.

Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway is recognised for the entertainment programme prize and will compete against Strictly Come Dancing, Life & Rhymes and The Masked Singer, while Coronation Street, EastEnders, Casualty and Hollyoaks are nominated in the soap and continuing drama category.

Paul Ritter is nominated for a posthumous Bafta  for male performance in a comedy programme for his role in Friday Night Dinner.

He died at the age of 54 earlier this month after a brain tumour diagnosis.

It was previously announced that Diversity’s headline-grabbing performance on Britain’s Got Talent is in the running to be voted the best TV moment at this year’s awards.

The Black Lives Matter-inspired routine is among six nominees for the Virgin Media’s Must-See Moment Award, which is voted for by the public.

Penelope being revealed as the mysterious Lady Whistledown in Netflix’s raunchy period drama Bridgerton, abusive husband Gray Atkins killing Chantelle in BBC One’s EastEnders and Luke Skywalker appearing in The Mandalorian on Disney+ also make the shortlist.

Nigella Lawson’s mispronunciation of the word microwave as “mee-cro-wah-vay” also features, after the scene from her BBC Two programme Cook, Eat, Repeat became a viral hit on social media.

Gogglebox on Channel 4 is nominated for scenes showing its armchair critics responding to Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s coronavirus press conferences.

The Virgin Media British Academy Television Awards ceremony takes place on June 6 on BBC One and the British Academy Television Craft Awards will be streamed on Bafta’s social channels on May 24.