AND THE AWARD GOES TO...
Marion McMullen rolls out the red carpet for Britain’s biggest film awards night as actress Joanna Lumley becomes the first woman to host the Baftas
THE Absolutely Fabulous Joanna Lumley is hosting the Baftas for the first time on BBC1 on Sunday from the Royal Albert Hall in London. The 71-year-old, left, who played champagne-guzzling Patsy in the hit sitcom, told OK! Magazine: “I shall be wearing a plain charcoal grey dress that Betty Jackson made for me. I shall look like a head mistress.” STEPHEN Fry first presented the awards in 2001 when Gladiator came out. He told the audience: “Think of yourselves as ruthless, highly oiled gladiators. I am your emperor – your faintly deranged and perverted emperor. Should any speech go on too long, a hand signal will cue the release of four hungry tigers.” 3 STEPHEN presented the awards 12 times in total and received kisses from Birdman stars Edward Norton and Michael Keaton after saying smooches were a Bafta tradition. He also planted a smacker on Cuba Gooding Jr after the actor joked that he was hurt to be missed out. 4 JOANNA is counting down to the big night and describes Stephen Fry as a hard act to follow – “staggering and unbeatable and matchless” – before adding her own feelings about taking over admitting: “Honestly, how exciting is this? It’s just so unbelievably thrilling. Who thought I’d turn into Stephen Fry? I want to thank Bafta so much for asking me to do this. I said yes indecently quickly.” THE British Film And Television Academy dates back to 1947 when British film director David Lean was appointed the first chairman. The iconic mask award trophy was designed in 1955 by American sculptor Mitzi Cunliffe. BAFTA officially terminated filmmaker Harvey Weinstein’s membership this month after a slew of sexual harassment and assault allegations. Bafta was one of the first organisations to suspend the American film mogul, pictured right, over the scandal. STARS have been asked to wear black at the Baftas in support of the Time’s Up anti-sexual harassment campaign. The move follows actresses doing the same at the Golden Globes in January. Nominees have also been invited to bring a women’s rights campaigner with them to
the awards. 8 FRANCES McDormand, pictured, is the favourite to to win leading actress for her role in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. She is up against Annette Bening for Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool, Margot Robbie for I, Tonya, Sally Hawkins for The Shape of Water and Saoirse Ronan for Lady Bird. 9 SIR Ridley Scott is to be honoured with a Bafta Fellowship on Sunday. The 80-year-old film-maker, whose movies include Alien, Thelma And Louise and Blade Runner, said it was “very gratifying” to be recognised with the accolade. Past recipients include Charlie Chaplin, Alfred Hitchcock, Elizabeth Taylor and Laurence Olivier. 10 THE Shape Of Water, pictured above, leads the race for the Bafta awards with 12 nominations, while respected British actors Gary Oldman, Daniel Day-Lewis, Daniel Kaluuya and Jamie Bell compete with US star Timothee Chalamet for the leading actor gong.