BAFTA has introduced three new award categories to honour excellence in children’s programming at the 2024 BAFTA Television Awards and BAFTA TV Craft Awards. Announced on Sunday, the British Academy revealed plans to shine a spotlight on children’s programming and the creative talents behind it, both on-screen and off.
“Three new categories celebrating children’s television and the talented people who bring the genre to life on-and-off screen will be introduced into next year’s awards,” said the British Academy. The statement highlighted the genre’s ability to inspire joy and creativity in young audiences through beloved characters and educational content.
The three new categories recognizing children’s TV excellence include Children’s Scripted Award to honour scripted programs such as drama and comedy, live-action or animated; Children’s Non-Scripted Award for factual content, including documentaries, factual entertainment, and news programs and Children’s Craft Team Award to celebrate behind-the-scenes teams working in children’s scripted and unscripted programming. All three categories will recognize programming aimed at audiences aged 16 and under.
BAFTA’s increased focus on children’s programming extends beyond television. The Academy had previously introduced a Children and Family Film Award, set to debut at next year’s EE BAFTA Film Awards, and a Family Award in the BAFTA Games Awards. These new categories have been shaped through consultation with industry peers and the Young BAFTA Advisory Group, a cross-industry initiative formed to support year-round programming for children and young people.
BAFTA Chair Sara Putt emphasized the importance of children’s storytelling in British media, said,
“Film, games, and television hold a magical, unique, and vital place in our culture, and the children’s stories made for our screens are so often developed with immense skill, warmth, and creativity. The inclusion of five new categories across our internationally renowned awards in film, games, and TV will enable us to bring the very best of the screen arts to even wider audiences.”
Andrew Miller, chair of the Young BAFTA Advisory Group and BAFTA trustee, also underscored the importance of the children’s screen industry, stated, “The children’s screen industries lead the way when it comes to diverse and educational storytelling, and it’s an important and essential talent pipeline — with British children’s screen characters beloved by families across the world. Many on and off-screen creatives and practitioners working across the sector owe their careers to children’s media, including me.”
The new categories are expected to further elevate the role of children’s programming in British media, offering greater recognition to the creators and professionals who shape the viewing experiences of young audiences.
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