TV stars and fans to appear as holograms at Bafta awards

TV stars and fans will follow in the virtual footsteps of Tupac Shakur, Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston by appearing in hologram form at the Bafta television awards, it has been announced.

Nominees for this year’s British Academy Television Awards who cannot attend the 6 June ceremony because of Covid restrictions can be beamed on to the red carpet. The technology will be offered to TV stars who may be restricted to production filming bubbles as well as fans who had hoped to line the red carpet.

Members of the public wishing to catch a glimpse of their favourite actors, including nominees such as John Boyega, Michaela Coel and Paul Mescal, will not be allowed to gather this year, but can sign up for the chance to receive the pop hologram treatment.

Successful fans will be able to ask their chosen celebrity a question live on the red carpet. After being offered a choice of digital red carpet outfits, their hologram will be introduced to their famous interviewee by presenters Vick Hope and Stacey Dooley.

Expecting to take home prizes at this year’s ceremony is Steve McQueen’s trailblazing, five-part series Small Axe. The anthology, which has received 15 nominations, has already been lauded at the Bafta TV Craft Awards, for behind-the-scenes talent. John Boyega was nominated for his performance as Metropolitan police officer Leroy Logan in the instalment Red, White And Blue, while Letitia Wright and Shaun Parkes have received nods for their performances in Mangrove, and McQueen is in the running for best director.

Royal drama The Crown also received 10 nominations, while Coel’s I May Destroy You received eight and the dramatisation of Sally Rooney’s novel Normal People is up for seven.

The Virgin Media must-see moments category, which is voted for by the public, includes nods for Nigella Lawson pronouncing the word microwave as “mee-cro-wah-vay” on Nigella’s Cook, Eat, Repeat, Diversity’s dance routine inspired by Black Lives Matter protests on Britain’s Got Talent, and Gogglebox’s armchair critics responding to Boris Johnson’s coronavirus press conferences.

The Bafta film awards took place last month, with a mix of virtual and in-person appearances. Just weeks afterwards, the organisation suspended an award given to the actor and director Noel Clarke for outstanding British contribution to cinema following a Guardian investigation into allegations of sexual harassment against him.

The Virgin Media British Academy Television Awards ceremony takes place on 6 June on BBC One. Fans can sign up to be part of the red carpet experience from noon until 2pm on the day.