BAFTA Combines Single Drama & Mini-Series Categories For 2024 TV Awards

Max Goldbart
·2 min read
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Kate Winslet drama I Am Ruth may have found its path to a BAFTA somewhat trickier had it been entered for 2024 as the awards body prepares to merge the Single Drama and Mini-Series categories.

A new Limited Drama category will accept single-episode TV shows and mini-series for the 2024 edition of the TV Awards, after Single Drama received less than 20 entries in 2023.

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Unveiling its 2024 rule tweaks today, BAFTA said Limited Drama “maintains the opportunity for single self-contained films to be eligible following a decline in entries to the Single Drama category in recent years.”

Last year’s award was won by Channel 4’s heartwrenching Kate Winslet-starrer I Am Ruth but there were only two others on the shortlist rather than three due to a reduced number of entries. Nicôle Lecky’s BBC debut Mood took home Mini-Series – awarded to any show of between two and 19 episodes that is contained within one season. The Drama Series award, which was scooped in 2023 by Apple TV+ hit Bad Sisters, remains the same for 2024.

Similarly, BAFTA has combined its sports and live events awards to forge a new Sport and Live Event Coverage catetgory, while Soap & Continuing Drama has been renamed Soap, Reality & Constructed Factual renamed Reality and Features renamed Factual Entertainment.

Other new rules include UK productions being required to have a policy in place for tackling bullying and harassment in order to be eligible to enter, which was first announced last December and reflects the industry’s recent focus on overcoming legacy bullying and harassment issues. To support the rule change, free guidance and policy templates will be available on Creative UK in the coming weeks. Prospective entrants already have to abide by requirements related to diversity standards.

BAFTA has also tweaked the recently-introduced Daytime category to ensure shows aired between 9 a.m. BST and 6 p.m. BST are the only ones eligible, which “reflects the relevance and importance of this category to linear broadcasting.” Another small change will see entertainment host duos recognized as a pair if they have “equal billing” on their entered show. This relaxes the previous requirement that pairs must already be recognized as a presenting duo to be eligible.

“We’ve listened and engaged closely with our peers and have responded to wider industry trends in setting this year’s eligibility, category and voting rules, which are reviewed annually,” said Hilary Rosen, the UKTV commissioning boss who was elected Chair of BAFTA’s TV Committee earlier this year.

“At a time when recognition of creative efforts on-and-off screen are needed more than ever, BAFTA’s awards are an important showcase of the ingenuity and talents of those who bring TV to life.”

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