‘I May Destroy You’ wins big at BAFTA awards
The British TV series takes best mini-series and editing awards at a partly online event, with Michaela Coel herself winning best leading actress, director and drama writer.

Michaela Coel poses for photographers with her Leading Actress award for her role in 'I May Destroy You' backstage at the British Academy Television Awards in London, Sunday, June 6, 2021.
British TV series “I May Destroy You” and its director Michaela Coel have won a slew of awards at the annual BAFTAs for its depiction of a young black writer piecing her life back together after suffering a sexual assault.
The 12-episode series broadcast last summer on the BBC and HBO tells the story of Arabella, whose sexual assault occurs while she is celebrating at a London bar with friends.
On Sunday it was garlanded with the best mini-series and editing awards, with Coel herself taking best leading actress, director and drama writer.
Coel paid particular tribute to Ita O'Brien, the show's "intimacy director".
Leading Actress winner @MichaelaCoel pays a special tribute to I May Destroy You’s intimacy coordinator, @ItaOB, in recognition of the safety and freedom she brought to the production ❤️️ #VirginMediaBAFTAs #BAFTATV pic.twitter.com/H75lTXpmcZ
— BAFTA (@BAFTA) June 6, 2021
She said O'Brien was crucial to "making the space safe for creating physical, emotional, and professional boundaries so that we can make work about exploitation, loss of respect, about abuse of power, without being exploited or abused in the process."
The intimacy director role is "essential for every production company that wants to make work exploring themes of consent," Coel added.
Held partly online with a scattering of live audience, the ceremony left acclaimed Netflix series The Crown empty-handed.
bafta winner aimee lou wood at backstage with her bafta😭🔥 pic.twitter.com/8XkqXTbdbz
— S. ✨ olivia colman’s bitch (@streep_lover) June 6, 2021
The fictionalised account of the modern British royal family had been nominated for four categories, including Helena Bonham Carter for best supporting actress as Princess Margaret.