Sir Mo Farah has won a Bafta TV award for his BBC One documentary The Real Mo Farah which revealed he had been illegally trafficked to the UK as a child.
The four-time Olympic champion revealed how he was brought to Britain from Somalia illegally, having assumed the name of another child, after his father was killed in the civil war.
Collecting the prize at the event at the Royal Festival Hall on Sunday, Sir Mo dedicating the best single documentary award to “children who are being trafficked”.
In his speech, he said: “The kids have no say at all, they are just kids and no child should ever go through what I did, I hope my story shows they aren’t alone, we are in it together.”
He later said: “It is an honour to receive this…I was in control of my career for many years and I wasn’t in control of the outcome.”
Sir Mo’s wife Tania Nell said: “It was a really hard to film and what motivated us was for us to show our kids what their dad had been through and it empowered us.”
Film producer Leo Burley added: “Six million people watched this on BBC One a film about trafficking and we were really proud that that many people came to this story. I want to thank Mo and his family to who have humanised what has become a really vicious story about trafficking and human debate.”
The 43-year-old actress won the award for her role as Sister Michael, the eye-rolling principal of the show’s Our Lady Immaculate College, in Channel 4 programme Derry Girls.
In the humorous speech, which she said in double speed given the short time given, she said: “To the people in Derry, thank you taking me into your hearts and your living rooms.
“I am daily impressed with how you encompass the spirit of compromise and resilience despite the indignities, ignorance and stupidity of your so-called leaders (in) Dublin, Stormont and Westminster.
Cillian Murphy on the possibility of more Peaky Blinders projects… ?#BAFTATVAwards with @pandocruises pic.twitter.com/fVOEZB7xxG
— BAFTA (@BAFTA) May 14, 2023
“In the words of my beloved Sister Michael, ‘it’s time they started to wise up’.”
The comedy about a group of teenagers growing up in Londonderry in the 1990s was a sleeper hit that built a large and committed following across its three series.
Set during the Troubles, the show was praised for offering a new perspective on the period of the IRA and loyalist ceasefires through the eyes of a group of young girls.
At the beginning of the speech, McSweeney joked: “As my mother laid dying in Cork, one of the very last things she said to me was, would I not consider retraining as a teacher.
“If she could see me now getting a Bafta for playing a teacher. Joke’s on you.”
She also thanked the people of Cork “who supported me despite the fact I’m not Cillian Murphy”, adding “it must be very difficult for you”.
Other poignant speeches came from best supporting actress Anne-Marie Duff for the comedy Bad Sisters, who said that TV is a “political arena” and shared a message to people at home.
The 52-year-old Sex Education star said: “If someone..is in their life who is bullying them who is telling them that who they are is wrong, that what they are isn’t enough…I am telling you now you are everything.”
It was also a big night for entertainment programmes, as ITV’s The Masked Singer fought off competition from Ant And Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway and Strictly Come Dancing to win best entertainment programme.
“Thank you so much to ITV firstly for believing in this silly show, it is so silly and it’s so wonderful, it has brightened up so many families and homes.”
Judge Mo Gilligan said: “People tied to mock it when it first came out, and now it has won a Bafta.
“It is great escapism…people at home don’t want to watch something depressing.”
Meanwhile, the reality and constructed factual award went to hit BBC One psychological adventure show The Traitors which sees strangers play “the ultimate game of detection, backstabbing and trust” at a Scottish Highlands castle in the hope of winning big.
Collecting the prize, presenter Claudia Winkleman, 51, thanked the BBC and referenced the meeting where commissioning editors agreed to make the show saying: “We are going to Scotland, we’re going to use the word murder – are you OK with that?”
Meanwhile Channel 4 News: Live In Kyiv won a Bafta TV award for best news coverage, beating Susanna Reid’s Good Morning Britain interview with then prime minister Boris Johnson.
Channel 4’s Europe editor and presenter Matt Frei, who took to the stage alongside anchors including Krishnan Guru-Murthy, said in a speech: “We news people only ever get to go on these stages because we have reported on something that is truly dreadful.
“Let’s remember the people of Ukraine who cannot be here tonight, who cannot leave their country. Lets also remember the 11 journalists who have been killed in covering just this conflict alone.
“And also I would like to say, Channel 4, we have had the privatisation hanging over us, which makes Penny Mordaunt’s sword look like a toothpick. But it’s gone, spirited away.
“Let’s not forget the public service news broadcasting, it’s complicated, it’s costly, and sometimes it can be tedious and really depressing but it also really matters.”
Lewis Capaldi gave his first televised performance of new single Wish You The Best alongside DJ Jax Jones and singer Calum Scott who took to the stage performing their song, Whistle.
Jones said: “Big up Kate Winslet” ahead of performing the track which also saw dancers dressed as fish on stage.
The Bafta Television Awards with P&O Cruises will be broadcast on BBC One and iPlayer on Sunday at 7pm.
