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Bafta viewers have been left shocked after Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light, the Tudor drama starring Mark Rylance and Damian Lewis, was snubbed at the TV awards on Sunday night (11 May).
The series, which is based on Hilary Mantel’s 2009 novel of the same name, was nominated for the biggest prize of the ceremony – Best Drama series – and was the favourite to win, but the award ultimately went to the Northern Ireland-set police drama Blue Lights.
Wolf Hall returned to screens last year with the Mirror and the Light instalment, which The Independent’s Nick Hilton dubbed “riveting”, “mature” and “dynamic”.
The series follows King Henry VIII’s advisor Thomas Cromwell (Rylance) as he climbs the ladder of power. Meanwhile, the monarch himself (played by Lewis) marries Jane Seymour following the beheading of his second wife Anne Boleyn.
Some viewers have been left disappointed by the Bafta result, with many Wolf Hall fans arguing that the series was “robbed” in the category.
“I’m sorry but Wolf Hall: The Mirror and The Light was robbed for best drama series, fuming #BAFTAS,” wrote one viewer on X/Twitter, another said: “Would have loved to see Wolf Hall win – it was the best thing I watched on TV this year.”
“Strange they left out Sir Mark Rylance for #WolfHall I thought he would be a definite winner,” said another viewer.
A fourth person argued that Rylance should have been in the running for Best Actor, writing: “How was Mark Rylance not even nominated for Best Actor for his outstanding performance in Wolf Hall this year @BAFTA WTF?”
One viewer told Bafta to get its “act together,” writing: “Dear oh dear. #WolfHall has not won the #BAFTA2025 award for best drama. I have no words. Get your act together @BAFTA.”
Many viewers were also surprised that BBC One’s smash hit psychological reality game show The Traitors did not take home a single award, with host Claudia Winkleman losing out in the Entertainment Performance contest to Joe Lycett, and other losses for the show in the Reality, Memorable Moment and Entertainment Craft Team categories.
“Claudia [Winkleman] and The Traitors not winning anything they were nominated for, after being the most talked about show of the year?” said one viewer, as another added: “The Traitors not winning best reality tv… ummm what ?!?!”
Another surprise winner was Marisa Abela, whose intense turn as banker Yasmin Kara-Hanani in the third series of the high-octane BBC drama Industry earned her the Leading Actress award.
Elsewhere at the ceremony, Lennie James – competing against Gary Oldman (Slow Horses), David Tennant (Rivals), Martin Freeman (The Responder), Richard Gadd (Baby Reindeer) and Toby Jones (Mr Bates vs the Post Office) – won the prize for Leading Actor for his performance as Barrington in the BBC adaptation of Bernardine Evaristo’s novel Mr Loverman.
The full list of winners at this year’s TV Baftas can be found here.
English (US) ·