All the actors and actresses nominated for a BAFTA TV award 2026 and where you’ve seen them before

The BAFTA TV Awards 2026 are serving serious talent this year, with a stacked lineup of leading and supporting performances across the Best British TV shows of the year. From gripping true crime dramas and BBC iPlayer hits, this year’s acting nominees are packed with familiar faces – and even a few rising stars you’ll definitely want on your radar! And did you know that over 60% of the BAFTA nominees 2026 are available to steam on Freely?

Whether you’re building your next watchlist, catching up on award-winning performances, or just figuring out where you’ve seen that actor before, we’ve got you covered! Below, we break down every major acting nominee, what they’re nominated for, where you might’ve seen them and what you should watch next!

Leading Actor | Leading Actress | Supporting Actor | Supporting Actress

When and where can I watch the BAFTA TV Awards?

The BAFTA TV Awards 2026 will take place on 10th May 2026 from the Royal Festival Hall in London. But don’t worry, you’ll be able to watch it all from the comfort of your own sofa at home on BBC One!

BAFTA TV Leading Actor nominations:

Colin Firth – Lockerbie: A Search for Truth

A deeply twisty and knotty story of a father seeking to break through government lies to untangle the secrets of who was responsible for his daughter’s death after she boarded one of the deadliest flights in history: Pan Am Flight 103. 

It’s no wonder Colin Firth is nominated for serving a powerful and moving performance of a grieving father with delicate fragility.

If you’re not all cried out after this one, we recommend I Fought the Law (also nominated!!) with tissues close by. And don’t forget to check out BBC’s drama The Bombing of Pan Am 103!

Ellis Howard – What It Feels Like for a Girl

Stream now on BBC iPlayer

Adapted from Paris Lee’s memoir, enter into the wilddd and shiny world of Nottingham’s early 2000’s club scene. Byron is swept under the wing of podium dance-cum-hell raiser Lady Die (Laquarn Lewis) and finds comfort in a new gang of trans and queer pals. At its heart, this eight-part series, is a story of queer teen figuring out who they really are.

Ellis Howard has turned heads in this perfectly cast role, delivering a profound and heart-breaking performance pulsing with wit and pure electric light.

If you adored It’s a Sin or Big Boys, this is one to add to your watchlist. 

Anddd if you’re looking for even more television recs that shine a light on growing up in all its messy glory, we have collected our fave coming-of-age shows to stream right now!

James Nelson-Joyce - This City is Ours 

Stream now on BBC iPlayer

Falling in love has turned everything Michael believed in upside down. His life that’s alwaysss been rooted in the murky underworld of organised crime is spiralled into an audit. However, he can’t just put down the pistol and slacks, the head of the gangsters is his partner and best mate Ronnie (Sean Bean). 

James Nelson-Joyce has been hailed to embody Michael fantastically nailing the art of being a conflicted gangster.

If you are a bigggg fan of The Sopranos, this crime drama gives it a scouse twist! 

Matt Smith - The Death of Bunny Munro 

This brutally bleak drama gets your adrenaline pumping as we trail Bunny (Matt Smith) dragging his son across England on a chaotic and grief-soaked door-to-door sales trip. Along the way, he fumbles through what it means to parent after the loss of his wife. Bunny struggles with sex addiction end up in a messy tangle of masculinity that’s impossible to look away from. 

Former Doctor Matt Smith stuns as Bunny, providing a deeply complex study of masculinity whilst remaining utterly and superbly charming. 

If you looooved Trespasses, buckle in for the whirlwind of The Death of Bunny Munro.

Stephen Graham - Adolescence 

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ll know Adolescence has been one of the most talked about limited series of 2025!

When a 13-year-old boy (Owen Cooper) is accused of murdering a girl in his class, his family, therapist and detective are left with a lotttt of questions about what really went down. The show cracks open big conversations around teens online and toxic masculinity.

And Stephen Graham? He delivers YET again with another outstanding, and powerfully real turn as the boy’s dad, playing the fragile combo of guilt, fear and parental panic with ease. 

Graham’s impressive repertoire also includes his intense and mind-lingering performances in BBC’s Boiling Point and Time.

Taron Egerton – Smoke

Based on the true crime story of serial arsonist John Leonard Orre, Smoke tells the gritty story of Dave Gudsen (Taron Egerton) former firefighter turned arson investigator, become embroiled in a gripping cat and mouse game alongside police detective Lehane (Jurnee Smollett). Prepared to be absolutely hooked!

Taron Egerton hangs up his blingy gold Rocketman jacket, and dives deep into the seedy morally murky crime world in Smoke with mesmerising brilliance.  

BAFTA TV Leading Actress nominees:

Aimee Lou Wood - Film Club 

Stream on BBC iPlayer

Meet Evie – who hasn’t left the house in six months after a little wobble – who hosts a weekly film club in her mum Suz’s (Suranne Jones) garage with her best friend Noa. But when Noa drops the bombshell that his dream job is taking him to the other side of the country, the two of them suddenly face the truth: maybe their more than just friends…

Aimee Lou Wood delivers everythingggg we could possibly want and more as Evie, portraying anxiety and day to day mental health wobbles in such a raw and relatable way. It’s witty, emotional and is all about that age old question: should we follow our hearts, or our heads?

If you’ve been a fan of Aimee Lou Wood since her Sex Education days, orrr recently caught her alongside David Morrissey in Daddy Issues then you will love Film Club!

Erin Doherty - A Thousand Blows 

Whisking you back to 1880s Victorian London, A Thousand Blows introduces us to Jamaican immigrants Hezekiah Moscow and Alec Munroe as they navigate the violent underworld of the capital. To survive, they are drawn into the illegal bare-knuckle boxing scene and cross paths with the dangerous Forty Elephants – a female crime syndicate led by Mary Carr!

Pssst, did you know the Forty Elephants were a real-life all-female gang?

Erin Doherty (who you would’ve recently seen in Adolescence), absolutely thrives as Mary Carr, bringing a steely confidence that makes her impossible to ignore. There’s a delicious unpredictability to her performance –one moment controlled and calculating, the next completely explosive. She doesn’t just play the room, she owns it.

And if you’ve already ticket A Thousnad Blows off your watch-list why not head back to Victorian London in 5’s The Forsytes.

Jodie Whittaker - Toxic Town 

Set against the backdrop of one of the UK’s most shocking environmental scandal, Toxic Town follows a group of mothers fighting for justice after a cluster of birth defects rocks their community. What starts as quiet suspicion soon spirals into a battle against power, denial and long buried truths!

At the heart of it, Jodie Whittaker delivers a performance so fiercely real. She captures the relentless, gut-deep determination of a parent who simply will not back down! Her performance will absolutely stay with you for longgg after the credits roll!

Why not discover even more true-story dramas you can stream on Freely?

Narges Rashidi - Prisoner 951 

Watch now on BBC iPlayer

Prisoner 951 shines a light on the extraordinary true-story of British-Iranian citizen Nazanin Zaghari-Raycliffe (Narges Rashidi), who was imprisoned and held hostage by the Iranian state for six years, and the relentless campaign her husband Richard (Joseph Fiennes) waged to secure her freedom and bring her home. As events unfold, the series delves deep into trauma, resilience, and the human cost of political turmoil…

Narges Rashidi is completely magnetic here, commanding every scene with a quiet intensity that simmers juuuust beneath the surface. There’s a stillness to her performance that makes even the smallest glance feel loaded with meaning – you’re constantly trying to figure her out, and that’s exactly what makes it soooo gripping.

Sheridan Smith - I Fought The Law 

Stream on ITVX

I Fought the Law tells the true story of Ann Ming (Sheridan Smith) and explores her grief, determination, and unshakable fight for justice after her daughter is murdered, and the prime suspect is acquitted twice under the double jeopardy law. Refusing to let the case go cold, Ann embarks on a relentless, years-long battle to change the law and bring her daughter’s killer to justice.

We guarantee tears, goosebumps, and moments that will leave you holding your breath.

Sheridan Smith brings her signature emotional depth to the role, delivering a performance that feels utterly lived-in. She captures grief in all its messy, complicated forms – anger, disbelief, determination – and makes every moment feel painfully real.

Now we are suchhh big Sheridan Smith fans here at Freely, we’ve got a wholeeee list of her best shows ready for you to watch next!

BAFTA TV Supporting Actor nominees:

Ashley Walters - Adolescence 

If Adolescence has had you hooked (same), then you’ll already know just how layered this story gets. As the investigation unfolds around a teenage boy accused of murder, every adult in the room is forced to confront some uncomfortable truths.

Ashley Walters plays Detective Inspector Luke Bascombe, leading the case with a steady, no-nonsense focus. But what makes his performance land is the way he lets the cracks show – this isn’t just another job, and you can feel that weight building as the story unfolds. He brings a quiet authority, but also a growing unease, like he knows the answers won’t sit easily when they finally come!

His Top Boy days might be way behind him but we will always feel that energy and intimidation whenever he walks onto our screens!

Fehinti Balogun - Down Cemetery Road

Set in a quiet Oxford suburb, Down Cemetery Road kicks off with a house explosion that leaves a young girl missing – and what should be a local tragedy quickly spirals into something far farrrr more sinister. As neighbour Sarah becomes obsessed with finding the truth, she teams up with private investigator Zoë Boehm (Emma Thompson), uncovering a tangled web of government secrets, fake identities and people who were never meant to be found.

Enter Fehinti Balogun as Amos Crane and honestly, he’s one of the most unsettling parts of the whole thing. Amos is a cold, efficient assassin operating within that shadowy conspiracy, and Balogun plays him with this chilling, almost detached precision. There’s very little wasted movement, very little emotion which somehow makes him even more watchable!

You may have seen him in I May Destroy You or even Dune: Part 1!

Joshua Mcguire - The Gold 

Stream on BBC iPlayer

The Gold dives into the real-life Brink’s-Mat robbery and everythinggggg that including the sprawling web of laundering, corruption and ambition that spread across Britain in its wake! It’s less about the heist, more about what happens after the gold disappears.

Joshua McGuire plays Douglas Baxter, a grammar-educated Cambridge grad who gets brought into the story by Charlie Miller in season 2, becoming a huuuuge part of an extensive money laundering chain stretching all the way to the Carribean! McGuire’s performance is precise and slightly-off in the best way, capturing the kind of character that operates just outside the main spotlight but is crucial to the story.

If you loved him in BBC’s Cheaters or even Saltburn then you can’t miss him in The Gold! 

Check out Freely’s truth rating on how accurate The Gold really is to the truth!

Owen Cooper - Adolescence 

Adolescence, again? Shocker! Well since we’ve babbled on about this show enough already let’s dive real deep into Owen Cooper’s absolutely stand-out performance. Cooper makes the whole drama feel almost uncomfortably real, and if you don’t get goosebumps from his acting at least once an episode we will be shocked! As Jamie, he walks a tightrope between vulnerability and something far more ambiguous, at times you want Jamie to be innocent, and others you want Jamie to be guilty, and that’s all down to thick layers Cooper brings to the character. The unpredictability makes this performance so insanely gripping – and honestly, pretty haunting!

Did you spot Owen Cooper cycling past Aimee Lou Wood in Film Club?

Paddy Considine - MobLand 

Mobland drops you into a world where power is everything and loyalty is never (ever) guaranteed! Rival factions, shifting alliances and long held grudges collide in a crime drama that doesn’t shy away from the consequences of lifestyle.

Paddy Considine plays a man who understands how dangerous his world is – but operates within it anyway! There’s weariness to his performance that adds depth, like every decision carries history behind it. He doesn’t need to raise his voice to feel threatening… it’s all in the restraint.

And if you’re looking for other crime drama recommendations… we’ve sooo got you!

Rafael Mathé - The Death of Bunny Munro 

Following a door-to-door salesman spiralling through grief, addiction and responsibility after the death of his wife, The Death of Bunny Munro is a messy, uncomfortable and deeply human drama. It’s a story about masculinity, loss and the impact of a parent falling apart in real time.

Rafael Mathé plays Bunny’s young son, and honestly… he’s the emotional anchor of the entire series. While chaos unfolds, he brings a stillness and sensitivity that cuts through it all. There’s naturalism to his performance that makes their relationship so painfully real – especially in those quiet moments where he’s just trying to watch, process and make sense of it all.

BAFTA TV Supporting Actress nominees:

Aimee Lou Wood - The White Lotus 

Welcome to The White Lotus resort, nestled this time in sun drenched Thailand. Returning for its third season, Mike White’s writing remains jam packed with razor sharp witty social commentary as we follow a week of several interwoven storylines of the craaaaazy exploits from wealthy guests and tag along with the staff of the resort. The all-star cast includes Leslie Bibb, Carrie Coon, Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Michelle Monaghan, Patrick Schwarzenegger and Natasha Rothwell.

Aimee Lou-Wood dazzles as Chelsea, the dreamy, astrology obsessed, die-hard romantic girlfriend of Walter Goggin’s character. Wood’s authenticity in the role makes Chelsea’s character glimmer in your mind longggg after the show has ended. 

After binging allll of White Lotus and being blown away by the gorgeous Thailand, which you might easily mistake for a green screen, you might now be fancying a holiday yourself! Freely has rounded up a list of  all the best travel shows to inspire your wanderlust!

Christine Tremarco – Adolescence

Another one!? Adolescence cannot stop being nominated! Christine Tremarco delivers an insanely real and raw performance as Jamie’s mother and Stephen Graham’s on-screen wife, as they both grapple as parents with the unthinkable.

You might recognise Tremarco from her early days in BBC's Waterloo Road!

Chyna Mcqueen - Get Millie Black

Stream on Channel 4

When Millie-Jean Black trades in her Scotland Yard DI badge for the Jamaican Police Force back home in Kingston, she expects missing person cases. Instead, she stumbles into a tangle of old wounds, including her estranged sister, and a whoooole swarm of conspiracy theories. 

Chyna Mcqueen’s performance in this crime drama, is five-star worthy. Playing Millie-Jean's estranged sister Hibiscus, in her first everrrrr screen role! She brings a blend vulnerability and quiet confidence that absolutely steals the show.

Emilia Jones - Task 

Step into a gritty investigation of a string of violent robberies in Philadelphia. Mark Ruffalo leads the charge as an FBI agent determined to shine a light on the chaos unfolding. Locked in a lcat-and-mouse chase to bring the crime to an end. 

Emilia Jones dazzles in her tole as the tough-yet-vulnerable niece of the man behind the robberies. Fierce, compelling, and impossible to look away from, she steals every scene she’s in!

Erin Doherty – Adolescence

We blinked and Adolescence got nominated again! This time it’s the terrific Erin Doherty’s turn. In her exceptionallll performance as a child psychologist writing a profile on the son, Jamie. Her entire episode is an absolute stand out. Doherty brings pure depth and fragility to this role capturing the gravity of what Jamie has done.

Rose Ayling-Ellis – Reunion

Stream on BBC One

This gritty and claustrophobic thriller follows a deaf man (Matthew Gurney) clawing his way towards redemption after spending a whoooole ten years in prison. Post his release he struggles to reconnect with his estranged daughter all whilst feeling painfully disconnected from the world all around him.

Rose Ayling-Ellis delivers a knock-out performance as the daughter of the murdered man, moving seamlessly between spoken and signed language. Her portrayal is heart-breaking, fierce and beautifully nuanced. A standout performance widely hailed as brilliant. 

And if you've not checked out Code of Silence, you absolutely must!

And if you're looking for more tv recommendations, check out all the new shows coming out in 2026!