British Academy Television Award
CountryUnited Kingdom
Presented byBritish Academy of Film and Television Arts
First awarded1971
Currently held byThe Masked Singer (2023)
Websitehttp://www.bafta.org/

The British Academy Television Award for Best Entertainment Programme is one of the major categories of the British Academy Television Awards (BAFTAs), the primary awards ceremony of the British television industry. According to the BAFTA website, the category "includes quizzes, game shows, talent shows, music specials and all general entertainment programmes."[1]

The category has been through several name and category changes:

Winners and nominees

1950s

Best Light Entertainment

Year Recipient(s)
1958 Brian Tesler
1959 Joan Kemp-Welch

1960s

Best Light Entertainment

Year Recipient(s) Title
1960 Bill Ward
1961 Ned Sherrin
1962 George Inns
1963 Duncan Wood
1964 Colin Clews
1965 Francis Essex
1966 Joe McGrath Not Only... But Also
The Big Noise
Ken Carter The Benny Hill Show
The Lance Percival Show
Terry Henebery Jazz 625
Torme's Back in Town
Ella Fitzgerald
Jazz Scene USA
Commonwealth Jazz Club
Dennis Main Wilson Scott on Birds
Scott on Money
The Roy Castle Show
Here I Come Whoever I Am
Till Death Do Us Part
1967 Ned Sherrin, John Bird
1968 Ned Sherrin
1969 Dennis Main Wilson Marty
Till Death Do Us Part

1970s

Best Light Entertainment

Year Title Recipient(s) Broadcaster
1970 Just Pet Yvonne Littlewood BBC
Please Sir! Mark Stuart ITV
Bobbie Gentry: The Price of Fame Stanley Dorfman BBC
The World of Beachcomber Duncan Wood
Dad's Army David Croft BBC One
Monty Python's Flying Circus John Howard Davies, Ian McNaughton
Not in Front of the Children Graeme Muir

Best Light Entertainment Programme

Year Title Recipient(s) Broadcaster
1971 Dad's Army David Croft and team BBC One
The Benny Hill Show John Robins ITV
The Morecambe and Wise Show John Ammonds
Monty Python's Flying Circus Ian McNaughton BBC One
Up Pompeii! David Croft
1972 The Benny Hill Show John Robins, David Bell ITV
The Goodies John Howard Davies BBC Two
The Two Ronnies Terry Hughes BBC One
The Comedians Johnny Hamp ITV
1973 Monty Python's Flying Circus Ian McNaughton and the production team BBC One
Dave Allen at Large Peter Whitmore BBC Two
The Two Ronnies Terry Hughes BBC One
1974 The Stanley Baxter Big Picture Show David Bell ITV
Dave Allen at Large Peter Whitmore BBC Two
The Morecambe and Wise Show John Ammonds ITV
The Two Ronnies Terry Hughes BBC One
1975 The Stanley Baxter Moving Picture Show David Bell ITV
The Two Ronnies Terry Hughes BBC One
The Benny Hill Show John Robins, Mark Stuart ITV
Monty Python Ian MacNaughton BBC Two
1976 The Two Ronnies Terry Hughes BBC One
The Stanley Baxter Moving Picture Show Part III Jon Scoffield ITV
Dave Allen at Large Peter Whitmore BBC Two
The Goodies Jim Franklin
1977 The Muppet Show Production Team ITV
The Two Ronnies Terry Hughes BBC One
The Morecambe and Wise Show Ernest Maxin
Mastermind Bill Wright
1978 Morecambe and Wise Christmas Show Ernest Maxin BBC One
The Muppet Show Jim Henson ITV
The Two Ronnies Peter Whitmore BBC One
Mike Yarwood in Persons John Ammonds
1979 The Kenny Everett Video Show David Mallet ITV
The Two Ronnies Peter Whitmore BBC One
The Good Life (Special) John Howard Davies
The Muppet Show Jim Henson ITV

1980s

Best Light Entertainment Programme

Year Title Recipient(s) Broadcaster
1980 Ripping Yarns Alan Bell, Jim Franklin BBC Two
The Kenny Everett Video Show David Mallet ITV
The Muppet Show Jim Henson
The Two Ronnies Peter Whitmore BBC One
1981 Not the Nine O'Clock News John Lloyd, Sean Hardie, Bill Wilson BBC Two
The Kenny Everett Video Show David Mallet ITV
An Audience with Dame Edna Everage Alasdair Macmillan
The Two Ronnies Michael Hurll, K Paul Jackson BBC One
1982 The Stanley Baxter Series David Bell, John Kaye Cooper ITV
The Two Ronnies Paul Jackson BBC One
The Kenny Everett Video Show Royston Mayoh ITV
Wood and Walters Peter Eckersley, Stuart Orme
1983 Three of a Kind Paul Jackson BBC One
Not the Nine O'Clock News John Lloyd, Sean Hardie BBC Two
The Two Ronnies Paul Jackson BBC One
The Stanley Baxter Hour John Kaye Cooper ITV
1984 Carrott's Lib Geoff Posner BBC One
The Kenny Everett Television Show Bill Wilson ITV
The Two Ronnies Marcus Plantin BBC One
Three of a Kind Paul Jackson
1985 An Audience with Dame Edna Everage Richard Drewett ITV
The Hot Shoe Show Tom Gutteridge BBC One
Yes, Minister (Special: Party Games) Peter Whitmore BBC Two
Spitting Image Jon Blair, Tony Hendra, John Lloyd ITV
1986 Victoria Wood As Seen On TV Geoff Posner BBC Two
Spitting Image John Lloyd ITV
Alas Smith and Jones John Kilby, Jimmy Mulville BBC Two
Treasure Hunt Peter Holrnans, Malcolm Heyworth Channel 4
1987 Victoria Wood As Seen On TV Geoff Posner BBC Two
Spitting Image John Lloyd, Geoffrey Perkins ITV
Clive James on Television Nicholas Barrett
Alas Smith and Jones John Kilby BBC Two
Entertainment USA Gordon Elsbury
Who Dares Wins Denise O'Donoghue, Andy Hamilton BBC One
1988 Victoria Wood On TV Special Geoff Posner BBC Two
Alas Smith and Jones John Kilby, Jamie Rix BBC Two
Spitting Image Geoffrey Perkins ITV
The Dame Edna Experience Richard Drewett, Judith Holder
1989 An Audience With Victoria Wood David G. Hillier ITV
French and Saunders Geoff Posner, Kevin Bishop BBC Two
The Lenny Henry Show Geoff Posner BBC One
Spitting Image Geoffrey Perkins ITV

1990s

Best Light Entertainment Programme

Year Title Recipient(s) Broadcaster
1990 Clive James on the '80s Elaine Bedell, Richard Drewett ITV
Whose Line Is It Anyway? Dan Patterson, Chris Bould Channel 4
The Dame Edna Experience Claudia Rosencrantz, Alasdair Macmillan ITV
Victoria Wood Geoff Posner, Kevin Bishop BBC One
1991 Whose Line Is It Anyway? Dan Patterson, Chris Bould Channel 4
French and Saunders Jon Plowman, Bob Spiers BBC Two
Mr. Bean John Howard Davies ITV
Spitting Image Bill Dare

Best Light Entertainment Programme or Series

Year Title Recipient(s) Broadcaster
1992 Have I Got News for You Harry Thompson BBC Two
Spitting Image Bill Dare, Steve Bendelack, Andy De Emmony ITV
Julie Walters and Friends Alasdair Macmillan, Nicholas Barrett
Whose Line Is It Anyway? Dan Patterson, Chris Bould Channel 4
1993 Noel's House Party Michael Leggo BBC One
Harry Enfield's Television Programme Geoffrey Perkins, Geoff Posner
Have I Got News for You Harry Thompson BBC Two
Whose Line Is It Anyway? Dan Patterson, Chris Bould Channel 4
1994 Rory Bremner... Who Else? Geoff Atkinson, Elaine Morris, Steve Connelly, Tom Poole Channel 4
Barrymore Maurice Leonard, John Gorman ITV
French and Saunders Jon Plowman, Bob Spiers BBC One
Noel's House Party Michael Leggo, Jonathan Beazley
1995 Don't Forget Your Toothbrush Lisa Clark, Stephen Stewart Channel 4
Knowing Me, Knowing You... With Alan Partridge Armando Iannucci, Dominic Brigstocke BBC Two
Rory Bremner... Who Else? Geoff Atkinson, Elaine Morris, Steve Connelly, Juliet May Channel 4
Smashie and Nicey: The End of an Era Alison Owen, Daniel Kleinman BBC One
1996 The Mrs Merton Show Peter Kessler, Pati Marr, Dominic Brigstocke BBC Two
Have I Got News for You Colin Swash, John FD Northover BBC Two
Shooting Stars Alan Marke, Mark Mylod
Rory Bremner... Who Else? Geoff Atkinson, Elaine Morris, Steve Connelly, David Crean Channel 4
1997 Shooting Stars Alan Marke, Mark Mylod BBC Two
Rory Bremner... Who Else? Geoff Atkinson, Elaine Morris, Steve Smith, Steve Connelly Channel 4
The Fast Show Paul Whitehouse, Charlie Higson, Sid Robeson, Mark Mylod BBC Two
Ruby Wax Meets Clive Tulloh, Don Boyd BBC
1998 The Fast Show Charlie Higson, Paul Whitehouse, Mark Mylod BBC Two
Harry Enfield and Chums Sophie Clarke-Jervoise, Dominic Brigstocke BBC One
Harry Hill Charlie Hanson, Robin Nash Channel 4
Have I Got News for You Colin Swash, Richard Wilson BBC Two
1999 Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Paul Smith, Guy Freeman, Martin Scott ITV
Big Train Sioned Wiliam, Graham Linehan, Arthur Mathews BBC Two
Goodness Gracious Me Anil Gupta, Nick Wood
Rory Bremner... Who Else? Geoff Atkinson, Jon Magnusson, Geraldine Dowd, Henry Murray Channel 4

2000s

Best Entertainment Programme

Year Title Recipient(s) Broadcaster
2000 Robbie The Reindeer: Hooves of Fire BBC One
So Graham Norton Graham Stuart, Jon Magnusson, Steve Smith Channel 4
Have I Got News for You Colin Swash, Richard Wilson, Giles Pilbrow BBC Two
Robot Wars Tom Gutteridge, Stephen Carsey, Bill Hobbins
2001 So Graham Norton Graham Stuart, Jon Magnusson, Steve Smith Channel 4
Have I Got News for You Giles Pilbrow, Colin Swash, Richard Wilson BBC One
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Paul Smith, Colman Hutchinson ITV
The Weakest Link David Young, Ruth Davis, Richard Valentine BBC Two
2002 Pop Idol Claire Horton, Ken Warwick, Jonathan Bullen ITV
Have I Got News for You Colin Swash, Richard Wilson, Nick Martin, Paul Wheeler BBC One
Parkinson Beatrice Ballard, Stuart McDonald
Room 101 Richard Wilson, Victoria Payne, Geraldine Dowd BBC Two
2003 I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! ITV
Friday Night with Jonathan Ross Suzi Aplin, Mick Thomas, Jonathan Ross BBC One
Test the Nation Nichola Hegarty, John Kaye Cooper, Simon Staffurth
The Kumars at No. 42 Lissa Evans, Richard Pinto, Sharat Sardana BBC Two
2004 Friday Night with Jonathan Ross Addison Cresswell, Suzi Aplin, Mick Thomas BBC One
Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway James Sunderland, Chris Power ITV
Pop Idol Richard Holloway, Claire Horton, Jonathan Bullen
Have I Got News for You Richard Wilson, Nick Martin, Steve Doherty BBC One
2005 I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! ITV
Friday Night with Jonathan Ross Addison Cresswell, Suzi Aplin, Mick Thomas BBC One
Strictly Come Dancing Karen Smith, Richard Hopkins, Izzie Pick
QI John Lloyd, Ian Lorimer BBC Two
2006 The X Factor ITV
Friday Night with Jonathan Ross BBC One
Have I Got News for You Richard Wilson, Nick Martin, Jo Bunting
Strictly Come Dancing Karen Smith, Richard Hopkins, Sam Donnelly
2007 The X Factor Richard Holloway, Claire Horton, Andrew Llinares, Siobhan Greene ITV
Derren Brown: The Heist Derren Brown, Simon Mills, Andy Nyman, Ben Caron Channel 4
Dancing on Ice ITV
How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? BBC One
2008 Harry Hill's TV Burp Spencer Millman, Peter Orton, Harry Hill ITV
Britain's Got Talent Richard Holloway, Andrew Llinares, Ben Thursby, Georgie Hurford-Jones ITV
Have I Got News for You Jo Bunting, Nick Martin, Richard Wilson BBC One
Strictly Come Dancing Martin Scott, Sam Donnelly, Clodagh O'Donoghue
2009 The X Factor Richard Holloway, Andrew Llinares, Siobhan Greene, Mark Sidaway ITV
Friday/Sunday Night Project Dean Nabarro, Richard Ackerman, Henrietta Conrad, Andrew Westwell Channel 4
Harry Hill's TV Burp Harry Hill, Peter Orton, Spencer Millman ITV
QI John Lloyd, Piers Fletcher, Ian Lorimer BBC One

2010s

Year Title Recipient(s) Broadcaster
2010 Britain's Got Talent ITV
The Graham Norton Show Graham Norton, Jon Magnusson, Graham Stuart, Steve Smith BBC One
Harry Hill's TV Burp Harry Hill, Peter Orton, Spencer Millman ITV
Newswipe with Charlie Brooker Charlie Brooker, Annabel Jones, Nick Vaughan-Smith, Al Campbell BBC Four
2011 The Cube Adam Adler, Nathan Eastwood, Andrew Newman, Andrew O'Connor ITV1
The Graham Norton Show Graham Norton, Jon Magnusson, Graham Stuart, Steve Smith BBC One
Have I Got News for You Richard Wilson, Jo Bunting, Nick Martin, Mark Barrett
The X Factor Andrew Llinares, Mark Sidaway, Nigel Hall, Richard Holloway ITV1
2012 Derren Brown: The Experiments Derren Brown, Fiona Cotter-Craig, Simon Dinsell, Iain Sharkey Channel 4
Celebrity Juice Toby Baker, Dan Baldwin, Ed Sleeman, Leon Wilson ITV2
Harry Hill's TV Burp Harry Hill, Peter Orton, Spencer Millman ITV
Michael McIntyre's Christmas Comedy Roadshow Andrew Beint, Anthony Caveney, Addison Cresswell, Michael McIntyre BBC One
2013 The Graham Norton Show Graham Norton, Jon Magnusson, Graham Stuart, Steve Smith BBC One
Dynamo Magician Impossible Steven Frayne, Mark McQueen, Lucy Ansbro, Dan Albion Watch
Have I Got News for You Richard Wilson, Jo Bunting, Nick Martin, Ben Wicks BBC One
A League of Their Own Murray Boland, Danielle Lux, Jim Pullin, David Taylor Sky1
2014 Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway ITV
Strictly Come Dancing BBC One
Dynamo: Magician Impossible Lucy Ansbro, Dan Albion, Alex Hartman, Debbie Young Watch
Derren Brown: The Great Art Robbery Channel 4
2015 Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway ITV
Strictly Come Dancing Louise Rainbow, Nikki Parsons, Vanessa Clark, Jason Gilkison BBC One
The Voice Moira Ross, John de Mol, Clodagh O'Donoghue, Ed Booth
Dynamo: Magician Impossible Lucy Ansbro, Dan Albion, Alex Hartman, Debbie Young Watch
2016 Strictly Come Dancing Louise Rainbow, Vinnie Shergill, Sarah James, Nikki Parsons BBC One
Adele at the BBC Adele Adkins, Guy Freeman, Anouk Fontaine, Simon Staffurth BBC One
Britain's Got Talent Richard Holloway, Amelia Brown, Lee McNicholas, Matt Banks ITV
TFI Friday Anniversary Special Will MacDonald, Clare Barton, Suzi Aplin Channel 4
2017 Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway ITV
Michael McIntyre's Big Show Christian Fletcher, Dan Baldwin, Claire Horton, Chris Howe BBC One
Britain's Got Talent Richard Holloway, Amelia Brown, Lee McNicholas, Clair Breen ITV
Strictly Come Dancing BBC One
2018 Britain's Got Talent Amelia Brown, Lee McNicholas, Richard Holloway, Charlie Irwin ITV
Michael McIntyre's Big Show Christian Fletcher, Dan Baldwin, Claire Horton, Michael McIntyre BBC One
Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway Pete Ogden, Saul Fearnley, Diego Rincon, Andy Milligan ITV
The Voice UK
2019
[2]		 Britain's Got Talent Charlie Irwin, Amelia Brown, Nigel Hall, Dawn Gray ITV
Michael McIntyre's Big Show Christian Fletcher, Dan Baldwin, Claire Horton, Michael McIntyre BBC One
Strictly Come Dancing Louise Rainbow, Sarah James, Robin Lee-Perrella, Jason Gilkison
Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway Pete Ogden, Saul Fearnley, Tom Locking, Helen Kruger Bratt ITV

2020s

Year Title Recipient(s) Broadcaster
2020
[3]		 Strictly Come Dancing BBC One
The Rap Game UK Tom O'Brien, Simon Andreae, Tom Whitrow, Susie Dark BBC Three
The Greatest Dancer Amelia Brown, Phil Harris, Nigel Hall, Louise Hutchinson BBC One
The Voice UK ITV
2021
[4] 		Life & Rhymes Sky Arts
Strictly Come Dancing BBC One
Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway Pete Ogden, Tim Dean, Ben Aston, Doran Azouelos, Kerry Shaw, Chris Power ITV
The Masked Singer Daniel Nettleton, Derek McLean, Claire Horton, Marc Bassett, Simon Staffurth
2022
[5]		 Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway ITV
Life & Rhymes Sky Arts
An Audience with Adele Adele, Jonathan Dickins, Sally Wood, Ben Winston, Lou Fox, Bex Hampson ITV
Strictly Come Dancing BBC One
2023
[6][7] 		The Masked Singer Derek McLean, Daniel Nettleton, Claire Horton, Diccon Ramsay ITV
Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway ITV
Later... with Jools Holland: Jools' 30th Birthday Bash BBC Two
Strictly Come Dancing BBC One

References

  1. ^ "Rules and Guidelines" (PDF). British Academy of Film and Television Arts. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-01-24. Retrieved 2021-03-05.
  2. ^ "Nominations announced: Virgin Media British Academy Television Awards and British Academy Television Craft Awards in 2019". www.bafta.org. 2019-03-28. Retrieved 2021-03-06.
  3. ^ Kanter, Jake (2020-07-31). "BAFTA TV Awards Winners: Night Of Surprises, As 'Chernobyl' & 'The End Of The F***ing World' Take Two Prizes Each". Deadline. Retrieved 2021-03-06.
  4. ^ "BAFTA TV 2021: Nominations for the Virgin Media British Academy Television Awards and British Academy Television Craft Awards". www.bafta.org. 2021-04-28. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  5. ^ "Bafta TV awards 2022: full list of nominations". The Guardian. 30 March 2022. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  6. ^ Ritman, Alex (22 March 2023). "BAFTA TV Awards: 'This is Going to Hurt,' 'The Responder' Lead Pack of Nominees". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 22 March 2023. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  7. ^ "Bafta TV awards 2023: the full list of winners". Guardian. 14 May 2023. Retrieved 15 May 2023.

External links

British Academy Television Awards
Category