Celebrity Traitors wins reality and memorable moment at BAFTA TV Awards

The Celebrity Traitors turned an awkward red-carpet reunion into the BAFTA TV Awards’ clearest public verdict, winning both the Reality category and the P&O Cruises Memorable Moment Award at London’s Royal Festival Hall.

The 2026 BAFTA Television Awards with P&O Cruises, held on Sunday, May 10, and hosted by Greg Davies, recognized British television broadcast in 2025 and doubled as a snapshot of where UK screen culture is heading. The only prize voted for by the British public went to The Celebrity Traitors, a reminder that reality formats still command a large share of attention when they combine familiar faces, watercooler plotting and a live audience reaction.

The night’s most talked-about scene began before the awards were even handed out. Alan Carr, the winner of the first celebrity series, mingled on the red carpet with Paloma Faith, whom he “murdered” on the show in a twist that shocked viewers because the two were friends off camera. BAFTA captured the moment on X with a blunt line: “Breaking news: Alan Carr and Paloma Faith are still friends.” It was a neat encapsulation of what made the celebrity version resonate, the collision of performance, personality and real-world relationships.

For U.S. audiences, the bigger signal was not only one show’s success but the spread of genres across the winners’ circle. Sky said Adolescence, The Celebrity Traitors, Amandaland and Code Of Silence were among the programs taking prizes, showing how British television continues to reward both prestige drama and sharply observed, distinctly local storytelling. Adolescence pointed to the continued power of Netflix in the awards conversation, while the other winners reflected the appetite for formats and series that can travel without losing a strong British identity.

The ceremony also reinforced how awards shows now function as a broader entertainment package. Musical performances from Cat Burns and AURORA added to a night that mixed live spectacle with industry recognition, and the broadcast on BBC One kept the event anchored in mainstream public television. That balance, between platform-driven prestige and network reach, is exactly why the BAFTAs matter beyond Britain. They show which stories can break through in a crowded streaming era, and which personalities can move from niche format to national event.