The winners of the BAFTA TV awards held on Sunday, June 6th include Northern Irish born actor, Kenneth Branagh, Northern Ireland filmed drama ‘Occupation’ and other productions with strong Irish connections such as Julie Walters for her role in BBC One’s ‘Mo’ and Channel 4’s ‘Misfits’.
Sunday evening saw BBC One and Kudos Film and Television walk away with the BAFTA TV award for Drama Serial for ‘Occupation’. The drama from Peter Bowker, Derek Wax, Nick Murphy and Laurie Borg was shot on location in Northern Ireland and Iraq in 2008 and stars James Nesbitt (Five Minutes of Heaven, Bloody Sunday), Stephen Graham (The Damned United, This is England) and Warren Brown (Hollyoaks, Shameless). The drama has previously won a Prix Europa for Best Episode of a Television Fiction Series or Serial of the Year and a Royal Television Society Award for writer Peter Bowker.
The awards ceremony, presided over by Irish presenter Graham Norton saw Northern Ireland born Kenneth Branagh (Hamlet) win in the Leading Actor category. The Northern Ireland Screen’s Honorary President scooped the prize for his role in the BBC crime series ‘Wallander’.
Julie Walter’s portrayal of politician Mo Mowlam in the Channel 4 series ‘Mo’, which shot on location in Belfast, saw the veteran actress nab the top prize in the Leading Actress group. Finally, Portlaoise actor Robert Sheehan (Cherrybomb) joined the rest of the cast of Channel 4’s ‘Misfits’ onstage to receive the evening’s Drama Series award.
For a full list of winners and nominees visit: www.bafta.org