Chernobyl wins big at the British Academy Television Craft Awards

Chernobyl has enjoyed a successful night at the British Academy Television Craft Awards.

The Sky drama, which is about the 1986 nuclear meltdown, stars British actors Jared Harris and Emily Watson, Irish actress Jessie Buckley and Swedish star Stellan Skarsgard.

In total, the series picked up seven awards – with Johan Renck named best director of a fictional programme.

Icelandic composer Hildur Gudnadottir won the best original music award for her work on the series, while Odile Dicks-Mireaux was named best costume designer.

The awards, which celebrate technical achievement in the television industry, were hosted by actor and comedian Stephen Mangan in a digital ceremony.

He appeared at the start of the broadcast wearing pyjama bottoms and a dinner jacket.

The actor and comedian hosted the ceremony from a studio, with award winners addressing the audience via pre-recorded acceptance speeches.

Comedians Romesh Ranganathan, Rachel Parris, Jessica Knappett and Richard Ayoade made guest appearances during the broadcast.

In a recorded message at the start of the ceremony, Bafta chairman Krishnendu Majumdar said the academy is “committed” to addressing diversity issues in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement.

“Bafta cares passionately about championing the next generation of talent so they have the best chance to succeed,” he added.

Also among the winners was Aisling Bea, who picked up the breakthrough talent award for her Channel 4 comedy series This Way Up, which was her writing debut.

She said that receiving the award is an “absolute dream come true” and dedicated it to her father, who she said “didn’t get to be any older than I am today”.

BBC series His Dark Materials, which is based on novels by Philip Pullman, picked up two awards.

It won in the special, visual and graphic effects awards and graphic identity categories.

The award for best drama writer went to Jesse Armstrong, the creator of HBO family drama Succession.

Nicky Sargent and Vikki Dunn, who are the joint founding directors of The Farm Group, won the Bafta special award in recognition of their work in the field of post-production.

During the ceremony music mogul Simon Cowell, who said he had worked with the pair for 20 years, paid tribute to them, saying the award is “so well deserved”.

At the end of the ceremony, Mangan joked that the online format worked well because “none of us have to stand outside for hours tonight trying to get a cab”.

“Let’s do it like this every year,” he added.