Kate Beckinsale took to social media to open up about a difficult moment with her family following the death of her stepfather Roy Battersby on January 10.
The actress, 50, shared that she'd received an email from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTAs) which she said "could not guarantee" that he would be included in their "In Memoriam" section.
Kate shared a throwback of herself with Roy and her mom, actress Judy Loe, from the 1996 BAFTA TV ceremony, after she'd presented him with the BAFTA Alan Clarke Award for outstanding contribution to television creation.
"Here is a photo just after I presented my stepdad with the lifetime achievement BAFTA," she detailed, listing off much of his acclaimed work, including TV series like Leeds United, Roll on Four O'Clock, The Body, Cracker, Tomorrow's World, Cracker, Between The Lines, Inspector Morse, and more.
An impassioned Kate continued: "Today BAFTA told me they 'could not guarantee' he would be included in their 'In Memoriam' tribute, to [honor] the industry members we have lost.
"So a man dead less than a week somehow has to audition in front of a committee after a decades long career in which he has been awarded from said [organization] (that has awarded him the highest accolade they have) to decide IF his death is worth mentioning. If his work, his life, his craft, his mentoring, his heart and soul are worthy of a mention that he is gone."
She expressed her anger at the situation and affirmed that she would take on the charge of celebrating and honoring his work. "That, that has broken my heart all over again," the Underworld actress added. "I am [paralyzed], sick and sickened and I will [honor] him and his work every day of my life."
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Kate then added a bit at the end about her mother Judy, 76, saying: "Oh and while I am at it, yes it is my mum briefly in the Netflix show Fool Me Once, for those who asked.
© Instagram"And she has been gracefully and quietly dealing with stage four cancer for the last six years and just lost her husband so thanks again, BAFTA for your horribly cold email."
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The English star was inundated with fan support, receiving comments like: "I am sure he would be more proud of this post than anything that BAFTA has to say!" and: "Surely not … BAFTA????? Oh Kate," as well as: "Then they don't deserve him. The only thought that should be required is how do we best honor someone who has done and given so much."
© InstagramHowever, she later took to her Instagram Stories to share a response that she'd received from BAFTA, which reads: "All names we gather during the course of the year are brought before BAFTA's Obituaries Committee, which meets to compile the Awards In Memoriam segment – Film, Television or Television Craft – but we are never able to make any guarantees of inclusion."
It adds: "Roy's BAFTA win falls within Television and as these Awards take place in May, the In Memoriam will be discussed in spring."
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The 2024 BAFTA Film Awards will be held on February 18, while the date for the BAFTA Television Awards has not been announced yet, although they are typically conducted in May.
© InstagramUPDATE
HELLO! has exclusively received comment from BAFTA on the matter. According to a BAFTA spokesperson: "We were very sorry to hear of Roy Battersby's recent passing – he was a renowned and trailblazing director.
"Roy Battersby was awarded the Alan Clarke Award in 1996, a BAFTA Special Television Award. We confirm he will be honoured in our forthcoming BAFTA Television Awards in May, and on the In Memoriam Section on our website."
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