Sir Steve McQueen’s Small Axes series leads the field at this year’s Bafta Television Awards, with 15 nominations.
The director’s landmark five-film BBC One series tells stories about the lives of the West Indian community in London from the 1960s to the 1980s.
Netflix’s regal drama The Crown is also one of the leading shows, with 10 nods.
I May Destroy You, about a woman coming to terms with an assault, is listed eight times, including best actress, writer and director for Michaela Coel.
“I am overwhelmed with joy to see so many people and teams that made I May Destroy You nominated this year,” Coel said in a statement.
“I am equally thrilled to see Small Axe, one of my favourite shows of last year, deservedly honoured, let the celebrations begin!”
The leading nominees
- Small Axe – 15 nominations
- The Crown – 10
- I May Destroy You – 8
- Normal People – 7
- Sex Education – 6
There are five nominations apiece for Channel 4’s Adult Material, a drama set in the porn industry, and Sky Atlantic’s I Hate Suzie, whose star Billie Piper is up for best actress.
BBC Three comedy This Country is recognised four times, as are Strictly Come Dancing and the acclaimed documentary series Once Upon a Time in Iraq.
Josh O’Connor, who plays the young Prince Charles in The Crown, makes the same list, alongside Paapa Essiedu from I May Destroy You, Waleed Zuaiter from Baghdad Central and Normal People’s Paul Mescal.
Mescal’s co-star Daisy Edgar-Jones is nominated for best actress, next to Piper, Coel and another Small Axe star, Letitia Wright. Killing Eve’s Jodie Comer and Adult Material’s Hayley Squires also make the same shortlist.
Friday Night dinner star Paul Ritter, who died earlier this month aged 54, is nominated for best male performance in a comedy.
Which stars and shows were snubbed?
Notably, The Crown’s Emma Corrin and Gillian Anderson, who won Golden Globe awards in February for playing Princess Diana and Margaret Thatcher respectively, have been overlooked by Bafta.
There’s also no room for Olivia Colman, who plays the Queen, but Tobias Menzies has been nominated for playing the Duke of Edinburgh, three weeks after Prince Philip’s death.
Des, a three-part drama starring David Tennant as serial killer Dennis Nilsen, was left out, as was another ITV true crime drama, White House Farm, and BBC lockdown sitcom Staged.
In the international category, Netflix hits The Queen’s Gambit and Tiger King failed to make the cut.
“All those nominations are basically last year in review, and Bafta applauding all the things that we’ve binge watched – that is everything we did last year apart from one hour of walking a day,” one of the judges, author and journalist Caitlin Moran, told BBC Breakfast.
“When I first saw the nominations, I was like, ‘Where’s the Tiger King? That was pretty big in my life’. But on reflection, that was just a show about a man being horrible to tigers and probably best that it’s not been nominated for a Bafta.”
‘I wanted to make Small Axe for my mother’
Late last year, Sir Steve McQueen said “things are changing” for black British film-makers after one part of his series, Lovers Rock, was named the best film of 2020 by Sight & Sound magazine.
“To be honest with you, black and brown-skinned people have not been really welcomed into the film and television community,” he told BBC Breakfast.
“But now things are sort of changing things and people are realising that things need to be sorted and things need to be changed and there’s opportunities there – we’ve just got to take them when we get them.”
Sir Steve added that he made the Small Axe series, which tackled a range of issues around race relations, so people like his own mother could see stories like their own reflected.
“Firstly, I wanted to make Small Axe for my mother, in a way that you could turn on the telly and have it accessible to her,” he said.
“And that period of time from the 60s to the early 80s, for me, it was a time where things were being contested and stories, which were being sort of swept under the carpet, needed to be spoken about and needed to be seen.”
Nominees for the Bafta Must-See Moment Award were announced earlier, and include Diversity’s controversial dance routine on Britain’s Got Talent, which provoked thousands of complaints.
Viewers have until 17:00 BST on 24 May to vote for the winner, which will be announced as part of the Bafta TV Awards ceremony on 6 June.
The prizes honour shows transmitted in 2020, and comedian Richard Ayoade will to host the ceremony for the second year in a row.
Typically an extravagant event at London’s Royal Festival Hall, festivities will be more restrained due to the safeguards in place due to Covid-19 and will take place in a closed studio.
The winners of Bafta’s TV Craft Awards, meanwhile, which celebrate behind-the-scenes achievements, will be announced by Famalam actress Gbemisola Ikumelo on 24 May.
Nigerian emerging artist Druppythekid is set to release his new two-track pack, No Love and LA LA LA (Serenade), on November 13, 2026, delivering a message of ambition, self-belief, and defiance in the face of criticism.
Originally from Kwara State and based in Lagos, Druppythekid developed a love for rap, hip-hop, and pop music as a teenager. Introduced to poetry in high school, he found a natural connection between words and rap, eventually joining a rap group before exploring music production at university. After graduation, he began rapping over his own beats, turning his passion into a growing musical pursuit.
On “No Love,” Druppythekid speaks to the determination required to chase dreams despite doubt and opposition. “LA LA LA (Serenade)” takes a more unapologetic approach, dismissing the opinions of those who never believed in him.
Together, the two records reflect one central message: keep pursuing your vision and never let the opinions of others define your journey.
No Love and LA LA LA (Serenade) arrive on major digital streaming platforms on November 13, 2026.
Chinwe Zoe, a Nigerian gospel singer and songwriter, began recording music in December 2025 after years of singing in church and at home. Less than a year later, she has released three singles, including “Chinwendum”, featuring gospel singer Frank Edwards, “Undeniable” and “Jesus Don Win”, her October 2026 release produced by Masterkraft.
For Zoe, the decision to record was connected to a personal experience that changed how she viewed her life and faith. She has described it as a near-death experience that left her with a renewed sense of gratitude. “In that moment, when I thought it was over, God showed me mercy,” she said. “He gave me victory. And that victory was too loud to keep inside.”
Her debut, “Chinwendum”, was released in December 2025 with Frank Edwards featured on the record. She followed it with “Undeniable” on May 7, 2026. The song’s official video has recorded more than 460,000 views on YouTube. In October, she released “Jesus Don Win”, produced by Masterkraft, with a video directed by Avalon Okpe.
Zoe’s approach to songwriting draws on personal experiences and scripture. She has said that she does not begin the process by searching for a melody, but by waiting for a message that she can develop into a song. She describes a process in which an experience or scripture stays with her until it takes musical form. The melody follows, and she hums it before committing anything to writing.
Her guiding principle is that a gospel song should be accessible to listeners while remaining suitable for congregational worship. “It should be simple enough for a child to sing and strong enough for a choir to carry,” she said.
Zoe has identified CeCe Winans, Nathaniel Bassey and Dunsin Oyekan among the musicians whose work has influenced her. She sings in English and Igbo, and occasionally in Pidgin, drawing on the worship tradition in her musical expression.
“Every song I sing comes from a place I have lived,” she said. “My pain taught me how to worship, my joy taught me how to praise.”
Her music has also begun attracting an online audience. Her YouTube channel has recorded more than 627,000 views across nine videos, while her Spotify monthly listeners have been reported at approximately 6,500. Her Audiomack profile is verified. Zoe records under her own imprint, H2 Records, with distribution through ONErpm. She made her first public performance at the 2026 Annual Virtuous Women Network conference in Enugu, where she performed “Undeniable”.
Outside music, she has spoken about her interest in soul winning and described it as connected to her musical work. She has also said that she wants her songs to encourage listeners facing difficult circumstances. “I want my songs to shift mindsets from worry to worship,” she said. “Whenever anxiety comes, whenever life tries to make you feel small, I want you to hear my sound in your spirit and declare victory over your life.”
Nigerian artist N8TAN is set to unveil his highly anticipated ‘UPRISING EP’, a body of work that chronicles his journey from the streets to the heights of his musical ambition.
Built around themes of struggle, resilience, ambition, survival, and triumph, UPRISING captures the realities of an artist determined to turn adversity into momentum. The project reflects N8TAN’s experiences, the challenges that shaped him, and the relentless drive that continues to push him forward.
More than a collection of songs, UPRISING is presented as a story of transformation—from navigating the streets and confronting uncertainty to finding purpose, embracing growth, and rising toward the top.
With its blend of raw storytelling, infectious energy, and personal perspective, the EP offers listeners an intimate look into N8TAN’s world while reinforcing his determination to carve out his own place in the music industry.
‘UPRISING EP’ is a statement of elevation: a reminder that where you start does not have to determine where you finish.
As N8TAN continues to build his musical identity, UPRISING marks another significant chapter in his journey—and an invitation for listeners to rise with him.
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