Sherlock actor Phil Davis has resigned from BAFTA over its “embarrassing” 2023 awards ceremony.
Davis, who starred as the first killer in the BBC series opposite Benedict Cumberbatch’s Sherlock, tweeted his resignation, calling the awards “an embarrassing travesty”.
“Cutting deserving winners speeches for toe-curling non-interviews. Poor Richard E Grant pretending to arrive in a Batmobile and no Bernard Cribbins in memorium. I resigned my membership,” the actor tweeted.
The BAFTA awards were an embarrassing travesty. Cutting deserving winners speeches for toe curling non interviews. Poor Richard E Grant pretending to arrive in a Batmobile and no Bernard Cribbens in memorium. I resigned my membership
— Phil Davis (@PhilDavis6) February 22, 2023
BAFTA received criticism for not including Carry On actor Bernard Cribbins in the show’s in memorium section, to which the organisation replied that he was being “considered” for the TV awards.
“It’s fair enough to remember Bernard Cribbins at the TV @bafta, not the film. To say he’s being ‘considered’ is the work of an idiot,” responded Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies.
Elsewhere at the BAFTAs, Ariana DeBose has responded to various memes following her viral rap performance at the awards.
The actor, best known for starring in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story, performed an original song at the ceremony that name-checked various Best Actress nominees including Angela Bassett, Cate Blanchett and Michelle Yeoh. After the performance was widely mocked online, DeBose deactivated her Twitter account.
On her Instagram account, which has remained active, DeBose has responded to various memes about the performance. In a post which refers to the line “Angela Bassett did the thing”, DeBose commented: “Honestly I love this.”