Gervais crowned 'King of the BAFTAS'

Ricky Gervais was crowned King of the Baftas tonight for the third year running.

Sun, 18 Apr, 2004 - 22:33

Ricky Gervais was crowned King of the Baftas tonight for the third year running.

The comic won best comedy performance and best sitcom for The Office Christmas Special.

And the victory was all the sweeter because Gervais was almost missed off the shortlist after an administrative error by BBC bosses.

Gervais, who stars as David Brent, has won the same two awards for the past two years.

His rivals for best comedy performance included Office co-star Martin Freeman, who plays lovelorn Tim.

Jonathan Ross was another double winner, taking home prizes for best entertainment performance and best entertainment programme, both for Friday Night With Jonathan Ross.

The chat show beat Pop Idols Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway, meaning the Geordie duo left empty-handed.

Comics Matt Lucas and David Walliams were celebrating after their sketch show Little Britain won best comedy.

Love Actually star Bill Nighy won best actor for his role in political thriller State of Play.

Julie Walters was named best actress for her performance as a bawdy actress bedding a toy boy in The Wife of Bath, part of the BBC’s modern adaptation of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales.

The awards were held at the Grosvenor House Hotel in central London and hosted by Davina McCall.

Wife Swap was named best feature and The Deal, which tells the story of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown on the path to power, won best single drama.

Coronation Street was named best continuing drama, beating The Bill, Casualty and Holby City.

Rival soap EastEnders did not even make the shortlist.

But The Street was one of only two wins for ITV on a night dominated by the BBC. ITV’s other success was the best sport award for coverage of the Rugby World Cup Final.

The BBC took home 11 of the 17 major awards.

The Secret Policeman, BBC One’s devastating undercover documentary which exposed racism among young recruits, won best current affairs award.

Its other wins included best drama serial for Charles II: the Power and the Passion, best factual series for The National Trust and best documentary for Lager, Mum and Me, part of the One Life strand.

The Office, Little Britain and Friday Night With Jonathan Ross are all BBC productions.

The following is the full list of winners for the British Academy Television Awards:

Best actor: Bill Nighy – State of Play (BBC One)

Best actress: Julie Walters – The Wife of Bath (BBC One)

Best entertainment performance: Jonathan Ross – Friday Night with Jonathan Ross (BBC One)

Best comedy performance: Ricky Gervais – The Office Christmas special (BBC One)

Best single drama: The Deal (Channel 4)

Best drama series: Buried (Channel 4)

Best drama serial: Charles II: The Power and the Passion (BBC One)

Best continuing drama: Coronation Street (ITV1)

Best factual series: The National Trust (BBC Four and BBC Two)

Best documentary: Lager, Mum and Me (One Life) (BBC One)