STRICTLY Come Dancing got an early birthday gift when it scooped the Best Entertainment Award at this year’s TV Baftas.
Hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman dazzled in white outfits as they led the BBC One dance show’s team on to the stage to receive the accolade.
It comes as May 15 marks 20 years since Strictly hit TV screens.
Tess said: “It’s Strictly’s 20th anniversary this year. We’ve been on television for 20 years.
“So this is the greatest birthday present.
“And to the viewers at home, thank you so much for watching because we would not be here without you, and it really does mean the world.
“We want to say thank you to all the celebrities for taking part and being so brave.
“We may be tapping up a few of you in the room for the next series.”
With temperatures hitting 27C (80F) outside London’s Royal Festival Hall, 55-year-old Tess also joked: “Thank you so much Bafta, for making it worth putting on the Spanx on the hottest day of the year — it was a struggle.”
Claudia, 52, added: “It’s a big year for us and it’s a privilege to do the show.
“It’s one of those shows where I believe whole families watch, so we get lovely letters from grandparents with their grandchildren.
“So it’s an honour, but we never take it for granted that people will come, so every year we’re like, fingers crossed!”
Meanwhile, despite high expectation and being nominated in four categories, Netflix’s royal drama The Crown did not win anything.
It was despite Dominic West being up for Best Actor for his portrayal of Prince Charles while Elizabeth Debicki was nominated in the Best Supporting Actress category, as was Lesley Manville for her portrayal of Princess Margaret.
And Salim Daw was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Mohamed Al-Fayed.
But there was a touch of real royalty at the event, with Prince William delivering an address by a pre-recorded video.
He was giving an award to Floella Benjamin, the former Play School presenter turned campaigning baroness.
The Prince of Wales said: “She’s an actress author, singer, politician and businesswoman, a beacon for representation and a voice for change.
“Baroness Floella Benjamin has the power of entity, compassion and action to effect positive change. And I would like to take the opportunity to say thank you. I’m thrilled.”
The finale of BBC One drama Happy Valley was named Best TV Moment of 2023 following a public vote.
The ending saw brave cop Catherine Cawood, played by \, having a final showdown with her nemesis Tommy Lee Royce, played by James Norton.
It ended with Royce setting himself alight.
Despite most of the big names of the cast being in the audience, including Sarah, it was the youngest cast member, 19-year-old Rhys Connah, who accepted the award on stage by himself.
Rhys, who played the grandson of Catherine and son of Tommy, said: “I got a message the other day saying that if we won this that I could say a few words.
“They didn’t tell me I’d be doing it on my own.
“I thought I’d have a few people behind me.
“So, er, yeah, I’m a bit nervous, there’s a lot of people.
“Thank you so much to every single person who watched the show and voted for the show.
“It means so much to me and everyone on Happy Valley.
“Thanks mostly to Sally Wainwright, the writer of the show who wrote the incredible scene where my dad blows himself up in front of my grandma — a bit dark but who am I to say?”
Other big winners included Jasmine Jobson, who won Best Supporting Actress for her role as gangster Jaq in Netflix hit Top Boy, which also won Best Drama Series.
Maawan Rizwan won Best Male Comedy Performance for his role in BBC sitcom Juice.
Timothy Spall won Best Actor for his performance in the BBC’s The Sixth Commandment — which also won Best Limited Drama.
Celebs on the red carpet included Baby Reindeer stars Jessica Gunning and Richard Gadd.
Pregnant Inbetweeners star Emily Atack was also there.
She is expecting her first child with scientist Dr Alistair Garner — who is also her step-cousin.
Also there were Poldark star Eleanor Tomlinson, actress Hannah Waddingham and Loose Women’s Frankie Bridge.
The event also included a tribute to those who had died in the past year, including Sir Michael Parkinson, Ray Stevenson, Benjamin Zephaniah and Friends star Matthew Perry.
PARALYMPIAN Ellie Simmonds was overwhelmed as her Finding My Secret Family won best single documentary.
The adopted swimmer and Strictly star’s ITV show on tracing her birth family left viewers in tears.
Ellie, 29, said: “Throughout this whole journey we’ve met so many families who’ve adopted children of different disabilities. This award is for them.”
TED Lasso star Hannah Waddingham pretended to swig from a hip flask after missing an award.
The 49-year-old was nominated in the Best Entertainment Category for her Apple TV+ show, Hannah Waddingham: Home for Christmas.
But she lost to Strictly Come Dancing.
After the result was announced, she was seen on camera pretending to drink from a hip flask disguised as a bracelet.
But the actress later got a lift when last year’s Eurovision Song Contest — which she hosted from Liverpool with Graham Norton — won the Best Live Coverage award.
