Peter Capaldi has missed out on a BAFTA TV nomination again.
Considering his incredibly performances in Series 9, this is quite a shock. His (almost) single-hander, Heaven Sent wasn’t worthy? Really? Neither was his anti-war speech in The Zygon Inversion? Or when he was inconsolable at Clara’s fate in Face the Raven? Nope.
It’s sad to say that it’s no surprise Doctor Who hasn’t been nominated in the Best Drama Series category; it hasn’t been on that last since David Tennant left the lead role. This does, nonetheless, seem bizarre. The show remains massively popular, a cultural phenomenon,
We are, however, pleased to see Michelle Gomez up for Best Supporting Actress, nominated for playing Missy in The Magician’s Apprentice/ The Witch’s Familiar. She’s up against Eleanor Worthington-Cox for The Enfield Hanting, Chanel Cresswell for This is England ’90, and Lesley Manville (An Adventure in Space and Time) for River.
You have to feel sorry for Jenna Coleman though: given that she’s now left Doctor Who, after becoming the longest-serving companion of the 2005- show, she’s not been recognised for her work. Just watch her as Bonnie the Zygon. Utterly captivating.
Meanwhile, Sheridan Smith (Big Finish companion, Lucie Miller) is up for Best Actress for The C Word; Ian McKellan (The Snowmen) for Best Supporting Actor in The Dresser; and Cyril Nri in the same category as McKellan for Cucumber, the series written by Russell T. Davies. And if we turn to the Best Male Performance in a Comedy Programme category, we have a face-off for three Doctor Who stars (plus Javone Prince): Peter Kay (Love & Monsters) for Peter Kay’s Car Share (which is brilliant, by the way); Hugh Bonneville (The Curse of the Black Spot) for W1A; and Toby Jones (Amy’s Choice) for The Detectorists.
You can find a full list of this year’s nominations over at the Radio Times. There are some odd omissions, but then it’s been an extraordinarily strong year for television.
The BAFTAs will take place at London’s Royal Festival Hall on 8th May 2016. Good luck to all nominated parties! (We’ve our fingers crossed for you, Michelle!)
