Stephen Graham finally claimed a BAFTA Television Award on Sunday night, winning leading actor for his role in the Netflix series Adolescence after eight nominations across his career that had previously come up empty.
"I've been nominated eight times and it's the first time I've won," Graham told the audience at the ceremony. "Nice one BAFTA, this is lovely." He also addressed any young viewers watching, saying "No matter where you're from, anything is possible."
Graham plays Eddie Miller, a plumber and father who serves as his 13-year-old son's appropriate adult through a police arrest that unravels everything his family has built. The four-part series, directed by Philip Barantini in four continuous unbroken takes, follows Jamie Miller, a teenager arrested for the murder of a classmate. Graham co-created, co-wrote and executive produced the series alongside playwright Jack Thorne, producing it through his own Matriarch Productions banner, which he co-founded in 2020 with his wife Hannah Walters.
His win was the fourth BAFTA of the night for Adolescence. Co-star Owen Cooper, who played Graham's son Jamie, won best supporting actor, while Christine Tremarco, who played his wife, took best supporting actress. The series also won for limited drama.
The awards continue a remarkable run for the show. Adolescence, which premiered on Netflix on March 13, 2025, won nine Emmy Awards including outstanding lead actor in a limited series for Graham at the 77th ceremony. He also won the Golden Globe for best actor in a limited series at the 2026 ceremony and the Critics' Choice Award in the same category. Graham was accorded the OBE for services to drama in the 2023 New Year Honors.
Sunday night's ceremony also drew sharp words from the team behind the Channel 4 documentary Gaza: Doctors Under Attack, which won best current affairs program. The BBC had originally commissioned the film but dropped it last June, citing impartiality concerns tied to the social media activity of one of the journalists involved and a radio interview with host Ramita Navai.
Then-BBC news and current affairs boss Deborah Turness addressed the decision in a Radio 4 interview at the time. "It made it impossible for us to continue with the project," she said. "No BBC journalist could have said what that journalist said on air."
Navai used her acceptance speech to push back directly. The BBC had "paid for" the documentary but "refused to show it," she told the audience. "But we refused to be silenced and censored," she said. "We thank Channel 4 for showing this film."
Executive producer Ben De Pear also addressed the BBC from the stage, noting the network airs a version of the ceremony with a two-hour delay. "Given you dropped the film, will you drop us from the BAFTA screening?" he said. According to Variety, both Navai and De Pear's speeches will be broadcast. The BBC did not respond to a press query about the acceptance speeches by publication time.
