Adolescence star Owen Cooper pays tribute to the Beatles after Bafta win
By Laura Harding, Press Association Entertainment Editor
Owen Cooper paid tribute to John Lennon and The Beatles as he collected a Bafta Television Award for Adolescence.
The Warrington-born star, 16, has won a string of trophies for his turn as a teenage boy accused of a terrible crime in the hit Netflix drama.
He beat co-star Ashley Walters to win the best supporting actor prize at the annual ceremony in London.
Collecting the gong, he said: “Wow, it’s heavy that, to be fair.
“A year ago I was presenting an award and now I’m collecting one. This is a bit mad.”
He added: “In the words of John Lennon, you won’t get anything unless you have the vision to imagine it.
“So in my eyes, I think you only need three things to succeed: one, you need an obsession; two, you need a dream; and three, you need The Beatles.”
Cooper’s co-star Christine Tremarco won the best supporting actress category for playing Cooper’s mother.
She said: “I feel so privileged to be standing up here holding this Bafta. I feel so honoured to be part of Adolescence.
“I hold this Bafta high.”
The show has already won two prizes at the Bafta Craft Awards last weekend for directing and sound.
Celebrity Traitors won the best reality gong and host Claudia Winkleman said: “Bafta, thank you so, so much for this. This is unbelievable.
“Thank you to every single person who works on the show. It is such an honour to be part of this extraordinary show.
“This is absolutely for our extraordinary cast who played with dignity, gusto and their entire hearts and we love them.”
Meanwhile hit BBC comedy Amandaland scored the prize for best scripted comedy.
Bafta host Greg Davies opened the awards show, joking he is once again “not personally nominated”, and pointed out fellow comedian Romesh Ranganathan is nominated twice in a category in which Davies is also eligible.
He said: “Will I be punching the air if he loses? We will see.
“But this is not about the personal grievances that gnaw away at my soul.”
The Taskmaster host continued that television “can feel like an industry under pressure, I’ve dipped into new media, I’ve seen what is eating away at our revenues”, and pledged that the ceremony will celebrate “proper telly”.
He added: “I remember when reality television was just a matter of locking a few unstable people in a house full of alcohol and then we film them, but it’s got complicated, hasn’t it?
“Celebrity Traitors managed to turn Alan Carr into a manipulative serial killer.”
Turning his attention to soaps, Davies said: “You think Daniel Day-Lewis could cut it in EastEnders? No Daniel, you don’t have time to sit with the character.
“You have to get your sister-in-law pregnant, do a shift in the cafe and have a fight with Phil Mitchell before lunch.”
The host also addressed the nominees for the memorable moment prize, and turned to Celebrity Traitors star Celia Imrie, who famously audibly farted during the series, saying: “Celia, you can relax. I say relax, not too much obviously.”
He instead turned his attention to the appearance of Mark Labbett on Celebs Go Dating, adding: “The man tried to drink a candle. Do you understand? Why aren’t we celebrating that?”
Flashing the image up on screen, he added: “I’m the host of this show and it will have its moment in the sun.”
TV cook and former Bake Off judge Dame Mary Berry will be honoured with the Bafta fellowship during the ceremony, while consumer champion Martin Lewis will be given the special award.
