AceShowbiz - The 2026 BAFTA Television Craft Awards celebrated the finest behind-the-scenes achievements in television, with the Netflix drama Adolescence and the reality series The Celebrity Traitors emerging as the evening's top winners. Both productions secured two awards each during the ceremony held in London on Sunday.

Hosted by comedian Maisie Adam, the event took place at The Brewery, a historic 18th-century venue repurposed for special occasions in the British capital. The ceremony recognized exceptional craftsmanship across a wide variety of categories, highlighting the technical and creative talents that contribute to outstanding television production.

Among the notable winners, Will Smith was awarded best drama writer for his work on Slow Horses, while Philip Barantini received the best director in fiction accolade for his direction of Adolescence. These honors cemented their contributions as central to the success of their respective projects.

Other programs honored included Andor, Amadeus, Reunion, Trespasses, The Celebrity Traitors, The Last Musician of Auschwitz, and Mussolini: Son of the Century, all of which earned awards reflecting their excellence in various craft disciplines.

The awards served as a precursor to the upcoming 2026 BAFTA TV Awards, scheduled for Sunday, May 10, at London's Royal Festival Hall. This main event will be hosted by comedian and Taskmaster presenter Greg Davies. Leading the nominations across both the TV and Craft categories was Netflix’s Adolescence, which received a total of 11 nods, followed by Disney+’s A Thousand Blows with seven.

Highlights from the winners list demonstrate the depth and diversity of talent across the UK television industry. In the Children's Craft Team category, The Very Small Creatures was recognized, while A Thousand Blows took home the award for best costume design, thanks to Maja Meschede's work.

In factual programming, Rob Coldstream won best factual director for Vietnam: The War That Changed America, while in fiction direction, Philip Barantini’s achievement for Adolescence stood out. The multi-camera director award went to Ben Archard and his team for The Celebrity Traitors.

Editing honors were split between factual and fiction categories, with Úna Ní Dhonghaíle recognized for fiction editing on Prisoner 951, and Mel Quigley and Andy Kemp awarded for their work on Gaza: Doctors Under Attack in factual editing.

The emerging talent awards spotlighted Olaide Sadiq for factual direction on Grenfell: Uncovered, and Janice Okoh for fiction writing on Just Act Normal, underscoring fresh voices making an impact in television.

The entertainment craft team award was given to the crew behind The Celebrity Traitors, while the makeup and hair design accolade went to Lucy Sibbick for her work on Slow Horses. Vickie Lang and her team won for makeup and hair design on Amadeus.

Original music awards recognized Jessica Dannheisser for The Last Musician of Auschwitz in factual programming, and Tom Rowlands for Mussolini: Son of the Century in fiction. Photography awards were distributed across both factual and fiction categories, with Our Land: Israel’s Other War and Adolescence receiving honors for their outstanding camera work.

Production design awards included recognition for Juice, while scripted casting was awarded to Nathan Toth for Reunion. Sound awards highlighted the teams behind The Celebrity Traitors in factual sound and Adolescence in fiction sound categories.

Special, visual, and graphic effects were celebrated with awards for Andor and USS Callister: Into Infinity, among others. Titles and graphic identity awards went to projects such as A Thousand Blows and UEFA Women’s Euro 2025.

In the writing categories, comedy writing was led by Jack Rooke for Big Boys, while drama writing saw Will Smith earn the award for Slow Horses. The BAFTA Television Craft Special Award was presented to Simone Pennant, founder and CEO of The TV Collective, recognizing her outstanding contribution to the industry.

The 2026 BAFTA Television Craft Awards underscored the vital role of creative and technical professionals in elevating television content. With Adolescence and The Celebrity Traitors taking home multiple honors, the ceremony highlighted the high standards of UK TV production and set the stage for the forthcoming main BAFTA TV Awards in May.