Asyia Iftikhar
Published February 21, 2026 5:01pm
Updated February 21, 2026 5:06pm
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After a Bob Vylan Glastonbury debacle over the summer – how might the BBC approach the Baftas (Picture: Getty/BBC)
The BBC is reportedly closely monitoring for politically-charged speeches at this year’s Baftas – but they must proceed with caution.
Their wariness, as sources claim, comes after the national broadcaster came under fire for the livestream of musical duo Bob Vylan’s Glastonbury set last summer, which included them chanting ‘Death to the IDF’.
Later, in an apology, the former BBC director-general Tim Davie admitted the act had been deemed ‘high risk’ ahead of broadcasting, with public discourse about the live TV moment raging on for weeks and beyond.
Now, on the eve of Britain’s biggest film awards, which sees all of Hollywood arrive in the capital city, insiders have shared that BBC executives and external producers at Penny Lane Entertainment want to avoid any similarly controversial moments.
Unlike Glastonbury, the Baftas are not broadcast live, and the three-hour ceremony is edited down to a two-hour show aired later in the evening, often with certain categories and moments trimmed down for timing purposes.
Even this has got the BBC in trouble before, with the network facing backlash in 2023 when Derry Girls’ Siobhan McSweeney’s speech at the Bafta TV awards was trimmed down to exclude her message criticising the UK government – sparking backlash.
The BBC’s live stream of Bob Vylan’s Glastonbury set over the summer was slammed after airing chants of ‘Death to the IDF’ (Picture: Getty)
‘They can’t have another Glastonbury – that’s the thing they keep talking about,’ a person close to the preparations revealed to Deadline.
PR and Entertainment Expert, Founder of E20 Communications, Lynn Carratt told Metro that although award ceremonies are now ‘potential flashpoints… political moments aren’t new [although] these moments feel bigger and more intense today.’
She continued: ‘Ever since the fallout from Bob Vylan at the Glastonbury Festival, broadcasters have realised that one unscripted moment can dominate headlines for days.
‘From a PR perspective, the BBC is in an almost impossible position. On one hand, it wants to give talent creative freedom and authenticity; on the other, it is a public broadcaster with regulatory obligations and a reputation to protect.
The Bafta ceremony has been subject to political moments before that the BBC has had to navigate(Picture: Getty Images for BAFTA)
Another source told Deadline they shared ‘nervousness’ about any potential anti-Trump sentiment (again, a Trump joke made by Bafta host David Tennant was cut last year).
Although one insider added: ‘We are mindful [of controversy], but this stuff is our bread and butter.’
In a statement, a BBC spokesperson told the publication: ‘As is always the case, the show’s content must be appropriate for the slot and in line with BBC editorial guidelines, as well as Ofcom-compliant.
‘The ceremony itself is far longer than the two-hour broadcast, and while we always aim to keep the core sentiment of acceptance speeches, edits are made due to time constraints.’
When it comes to how the BBC should approach its broadcast of the festivities tomorrow night, Lynn reflected that ‘the safest strategy is balance: clear editorial guidelines combined with respect for creative expression.
The Bafta film awards 2026 will be hosted by Alan Cumming – and broadcast on a delay (Picture: John Phillips/BAFTA/Getty Images for BAFTA)
‘Because ultimately, audiences don’t tune into the BAFTAs for damage control; they tune in for memorable moments. The challenge is making sure those moments are talked about for the right reasons.’
Meanwhile, Crisis PR expert Lauren Beeching pointed out to Metro that editing doesn’t remove risk entirely.
‘If something controversial is said, it can still be filmed, shared, or reported in real time. The BBC can manage what goes out on its channel, but it cannot fully control how the moment travels,’ she shared.
Stars will be jetting in from across Hollywood for the major film event (Picture: Getty)
Lynn added that, just as we saw play out with Siobhan’s speech, ‘over-policing speeches can backfire just as badly as letting controversy unfold.
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‘If viewers think edits are being made for political reasons, it risks accusations of censorship.’
As for what thought processes may be going on in the background, Lauren said: ‘From my experience, my clients and others in the industry are often under significant pressure to speak up on political issues, especially at high-profile events.
‘There can be an expectation that silence equals complicity. But those decisions always come with risk, commercially and reputationally, and they are rarely taken lightly.’
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The Bafta Film Awards 2026 will air on BBC One at 7pm on Sunday, February 22.
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