LORRAINE Kelly was overcome with emotion this evening as she was presented with the special award at the BAFTA TV Awards.
The 64-year-old watched on a film about her impressive TV career played out and Succession star Brian Cox paid tribute to the “queen of daytime TV”, who has hosted ITV chat show Lorraine for the past 30 years.
He described Kelly as having “infectious humour, boundless enthusiasm and genuine, genuine kindness”.
During her moving speech, Lorraine said “don’t pull up the ladder” to those from working-class backgrounds to break into the TV industry.
“I suppose if I’ve learned anything at all over the past 40 years, it’s what’s the point of having all that experience if you don’t actually share it, and if you don’t actually pass it on, and help other people,” she said.
“So I would just say don’t pull up the ladder, please make it possible for kids like me from my background, from a very working class Glasgow background, rise the same from Dundee.
“We’ve had amazing opportunities, but I just want everyone to have those opportunities the same that we did.”
It comes after she said it is now “almost impossible” for those from working-class backgrounds to break into the industry, calling for more opportunities outside of London – having been told she would never make it on the screen due to her Scottish accent.
Kelly thanked her mother and father for her “work ethic”, as well as her “fantastic” husband Steve Smith and her daughter Rosie, who is pregnant with her first child.
“And my daughter Rosie who is working on the most exciting production. She’s having a baby and making us grandparents and I’m so proud – this means the world,” she said of the award.
She added that she was “honoured” that viewers of the show “think of me as a pal – they think of me as their friend”.
And in perhaps a nod to the critism she has received over her working schedule, she said: “I’m on the telly tomorrow but I’m going to celebrate tonight.”
Despite the award, she was still trolled online by those who think she doesn’t works enough – and is replaced by Christine Lampard too much.
Best Supporting Actress
WINNER: Jasmine Jobson, Topboy, Netflix
Best Supporting Actor
WINNER: Matthew MacFadyen, Succession, Sky Atlantic
Best Entertainment
WINNER: Strictly Come Dancing, BBC One
Comedy Entertainment Programme
WINNER: Rob & Romesh Vs, Sky Max
Short Form
WINNER: Mobility, BBC Three
Specialist Factual
WINNER: White Nanny, Black Child, Channel 5
Factual
WINNER: Lockerbie, Sky Documentaries
Reality Series
WINNER: Squid Game: The Challenge, Netflix
Sports coverage
WINNER Cheltenham Festival Day One, ITV1
Male Performance in a Comedy
WINNER: Mawaan Rowan, Juice, BBC Three
Female Performance in a Comedy
WINNER: Gbemisola Ikemelo, Black Ops, BBC One
Limited Drama
WINNER: The Sixth Commandment, BBC One
Current Affairs
WINNER: This World: The Shamima Begum Story, BBC Two
News Coverage
WINNER: Sky News, Israel and Hamas at War
International
WINNER: Class Act, Netflix
Daytime TV
WINNER: Scam Interceptors, BBC One
Soap
WINNER: Casualty, BBC One
Factual Entertainment
WINNER: Celebrity Race Across the World, BBC One
TV moment of the Year
WINNER Happy Valley’s Final Showdown, BBC One
Single documentary
WINNER: Ellie Simmonds – Finding my Secret Family – ITV1
One person raged: “Lorraine can’t turn up to her own show half the time, but she’s straight onto the stage at #BAFTATVAwards for her award. Wonder if she’s gonna share it with Ranvir and Christine Lampard ?????”
A second said: “I love how Lorraine has to confirm that she will be on the tele tomorrow because she has so much time off.”
While a third added: “Waiting for ChristineLampard or RanvirSingh to jump on stage and claim the award from Lorraine.”
