Baroness Floella Benjamin to be honoured with BAFTA Fellowship at the BAFTA Television Awards with P&O Cruises

The accomplished Baroness Floella Benjamin OM DBE DL is set to be given the prestigious BAFTA Fellowship in recognition of her outstanding work in the television industry. You can tune in to watch the BAFTA Television Awards, taking place on BBC One and iPlayer on May 12th, in collaboration with P&O Cruises.

BAFTA announced today that Baroness Floella Benjamin will receive the prestigious BAFTA Fellowship at the upcoming BAFTA Television Awards with P&O Cruises on May 12. This award is the ultimate recognition bestowed by BAFTA upon those who have made remarkable contributions to the film, gaming, or television industry.

Baroness Benjamin is a talented woman who has worked in various fields including acting, writing, singing, broadcasting, and producing. She is also a regulator at OFCOM and a member of the House of Lords. For over fifty years, she has been promoting diversity and inclusion, as well as advocating for the rights of children. Baroness Benjamin is highly respected by people of all ages and backgrounds for her presenter, writer, and campaign work. Additionally, she has made significant contributions to the creative industries by creating a more positive and fair environment. Lastly, through her work in television, she has inspired many young people.

The Chair of BAFTA, Sara Putt, expressed her great honor in awarding Baroness Benjamin with the prestigious BAFTA Fellowship. According to Putt, Baroness Benjamin has dedicated herself to supporting children and young people, making a significant impact on the field of television broadcasting and promoting diversity. Her determination to create opportunities and positive role models for future generations has resulted in a tremendous amount of positive change over the span of fifty years, making her an unstoppable force for good. She is a national treasure, and on 12 May at the BAFTA Television Awards with P&O Cruises, her work will be celebrated and acknowledged.

Baroness Floella Benjamin expressed her great delight and happiness upon receiving the highest honor given by BAFTA. She feels like she's standing at the peak of her career in television, having enjoyed over 50 years of wonderful experiences in the industry. Her path has been full of challenges and difficulties, but she feels grateful to have reached this point. She's particularly pleased that her work, which has mostly been focused on children, is being acknowledged and celebrated by BAFTA.

Baroness Benjamin is a renowned figure in the world of children's television. During her tenure with the BBC from 1976 to 1988, she became famous for hosting the beloved programmes Playschool and Play Away. Her passion for children's TV has spanned over five decades, and she continues to advocate for it even today. During her time in government, she made significant contributions to the industry, including getting Child Performance Regulations legislation passed and securing tax credits for children's programming. She was also instrumental in bringing about legislation that required public service broadcasters to commission television productions made in the UK.

Baroness Benjamin began her profession in 1970 with performances in popular stage musicals like Jesus Christ Superstar and Black Mikado. After this, she went on to appear in a variety of productions on BBC and ITV, including Within These Walls, The Gentle Touch, Angels, Waterloo Sunset and Bergerac. Recently, she has taken part in several programs such as Mama Mirabelle’s Home Movies, Chuggington, Sarah Jane Adventures, Line of Beauty, and CBeebies Bedtime Stories.

Ever since Baroness Floella Benjamin began working in broadcasting, she has been an advocate for equality and variation in both the individuals seen on the screen and those working behind the scenes. She currently provides guidance to the BBC and ITV regarding their practices related to promoting diversity.

She achieved the prestigious title of Baroness in the House of Lords in 2010 and made history as the first Trinidadian woman to do so. Her primary areas of interest as a lawmaker are the rights of children, promoting diversity and ensuring proper representation of diverse groups in media.

In addition to her pioneering efforts in children's television, Baroness Benjamin held the position of Chair for the Windrush Commemoration Committee between 2018 and 2022. She was responsible for devising and introducing a National Windrush Monument, which was revealed to the public at Waterloo Station in 2022.

In 1989, Baroness Benjamin became a member of the Society of Film and Television Arts, which was previously known as BAFTA. She served as a BAFTA Council Member and was appointed as the Chair of the Children's Committee in 1997-1998, and then went on to be the Chair of the TV Committee the next year. During this period, she contributed significantly towards establishing an awards ceremony for children's television and film, and even hosted the inaugural awards function in 1996. Her efforts were recognized with a Special Award from BAFTA in 2004.

Throughout her career, Baroness Floella Benjamin has been recognized for her outstanding contributions in various fields. In 2001, she was granted an OBE for her work in children's broadcasting, and she has also received an RTS Award, a BKSTS Fellowship, and an Honorary Fellowship from the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. In addition, she has been honored with a lifetime award from the MBCC Awards and a Lifetime Women in Film and Television Award. Her lasting legacy to children received special recognition with the ACA-JM Barrie Award. She was also selected as one of the 100 Great Black Britons. More recently, she was given the title of Dame of the British Empire in the Queen's New Year Honours in 2020. She had the privilege of participating in the coronation of King Charles and was responsible for carrying the Sovereign's Sceptre with Dove. Her Majesty the Queen bestowed upon her the Order of Merit, which King Charles presented to her in November 2022.

Baroness Floella Benjamin OM, DBE, DL will receive The Fellowship accolade at the forthcoming BAFTA Television Awards with P&O Cruises event. The ceremony will take place on Sunday 12 May at the Royal Festival Hall and will be covered by comedians Rob Beckett and Romesh Ranganathan, with all the happenings aired on BBC One and iPlayer. Before the event, Michelle Visage and Tom Allen will be live on BAFTA's YouTube, Facebook, and X accounts, offering the public an opportunity to get closer to the celebrations.

Some notable individuals who have been recognized for their contributions to television as BAFTA Fellows include Meera Syal CBE, Sir Billy Connolly, Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders, Jon Snow, Sir Bruce Forsyth, Joanna Lumley, Melvyn Bragg, Michael Palin, Sir Trevor MacDonald, Sir David Attenborough, Dame Julie Walters, and Kate Adie.

The P&O Cruises BAFTA Television Awards is the most significant event on the TV schedule, highlighting the exceptional standards and assortment of TV programs that were watched in 2023. The Crown, Black Mirror (Demon 79), Happy Valley, Slow Horses, and The Sixth Commandment were among the most nominated shows. On March 14th, the nominees for this year's awards were unveiled, and you can see the list of nominees by following this link.

To stay up to date with all the latest happenings, get behind-the-scenes sneak peeks, and interviews from the 2024 BAFTA Television Awards with P&O Cruises, make sure you follow @BAFTA on a variety of social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and Twitter.

Charlie McKoy's contact email address is [email protected]

The BAFTA contact person is Benn Bennett and his email address is [email protected]

Remember to include the complete name of the event in any news or article you write - BAFTA Television Awards sponsored by P&O Cruises.

The prizes will also be shown in North America, Scandinavian countries, South Africa, and Australia on BritBox International. In Australia and New Zealand, the program will be aired on BBC Studios ANZ. Additionally, it will be broadcasted on AlThaqafeya and MBC Channels in 24 countries across Africa and the Middle East. There might be more regions it will be available in, but the details haven't been released yet.

You can find pictures of Baroness Floella Benjamin on BAFTA Thirdlight website, specifically related to photography.

You can access pre-awards promotional pictures of the BAFTA 'mask' award, hosts and other materials by visiting the photography library on the BAFTA website.

BAFTA's photography library offers various photos from the TV Craft & TV Awards such as red carpet, ceremonies, and press room areas. You can access these images by clicking the link provided above. Getty Images also has complete sets of these pictures available for syndication.

BAFTA, which stands for the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, is a renowned organization that operates as an independent arts charity. Their mission is to spotlight the most exceptional work in film, games, and television, both in the UK and around the world. They achieve this goal through various initiatives such as workshops, masterclasses, scholarships, lectures, and mentoring programs for emerging talent in the UK, USA, and Asia. Additionally, they organize Awards ceremonies to highlight and honor outstanding work in the industry. Overall, BAFTA's aim is to promote excellence, support the growth of creative talent, and encourage learning and collaboration. As a registered charity (no. 216726), they provide a valuable contribution to the world of art and entertainment. Visit their website for more information: www.bafta.org.

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