Lumley lands role as first solo female host for more than 20 years
JOANNA Lumley has said she anticipates many of the award winners giving speeches that reference the sexual harassment scandal rocking the entertainment industry as she prepares to become the first woman to singlehandedly host the Bafta awards for more than 20 years.
The Absolutely Fabulous actress, who will take over the hosting job from Stephen Fry for the 2018 film ceremony, rejected the notion she is picking up the mantle in a difficult year.
She said: “My hosting is to say to everybody: ‘You’re free to come up and say what you want, do what you want, wear what you want, be what you want.’ My job is to say: ‘We are here celebrating the film industry, here are the people coming from all the various categories, to give the prizes and to receive the prizes.
“It’s up to them what they do. It’s not frightening for me at all, because I just adore people and I adore films.”
The last time a woman hosted the show by herself was in 1996 when Ruby Wax fronted the show.
Asked if she would follow the lead of Seth Meyers, who made jokes about Harvey Weinstein and Kevin Spacey when he hosted the Golden Globes on Sunday, she said: “I haven’t seen Seth yet.
“I’m not important, the people who give the prizes and the people who receive the prizes are the ones who are important and I’m the silky – I hope – link between them all.”