baftas hosts 2021

Graham Norton replaced as host of 2021 BAFTAs award

This year's awards ceremony will have two hosts for the first time in 20 years

TV & Film Writer
March 24, 2021

Graham Norton will not return as host of the 2021 EE British Academy Film Awards, BAFTA organisers have confirmed.

MORE: The full list of BAFTAs 2021 nominees

Despite impressing audiences as host of last year's ceremony, it was announced today that this year's awards will be hosted by Edith Bowman and Dermot O'Leary.

The pair, who have presented the award ceremony's red carpet coverage for a number of years, will front the main show from the Royal Albert Hall on Sunday 11 April 2021. It will be the first time since 2001 that the prestigious award ceremony has had two hosts.

WATCH: A look back at 2020's BAFTA red carpet

Sadly, due to continuing coronavirus restrictions, nominees will not join them at the iconic venue but will instead tune in virtually. A total of 17 awards will be announced, including the public-voted EE Rising Star Award and the highly sought after Best British Film Award.

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It's not known why  57-year-old chat show host Graham, who has long helmed the award show's TV equivalent, has not been invited back as main host. It has not yet been confirmed whether he will present this year's TV Awards, due to take place in September.

Graham presented last year's awards

It was additionally announced by BAFTA that for the first time ever the awards will be held over two nights, with Radio One presenter Clara Amfo hosting EE BAFTA Film Awards Opening Night on Saturday 10 April.

She will be joined by a yet-to-be-announced panel of guests to announce eight award winners, including the award for The Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema, which is set to be the only award presented in person. 

Clara Amfo will also join in on presenting duties

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This year's BAFTAs have proven to be the most diverse in the awards' history, following the backlash of last year's all-white acting nominees. In contrast, 15 of the 24 actor nominees are Black or Asian this year. In addition, more women than ever before are up for awards in the directing category.

A total of 50 films received nominations for this year's awards, which usually take place in February, with Nomadland and Rocks taking the lead with seven nominations each. The Father, Mank, Minari and Promising Young Woman all garnered six nods, while The Dig and The Mauritanian both received five. 

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