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Catherine Zeta-Jones looked radiant as she virtually presented the gong for best Single Drama at Sunday’s 2021 British Academy Television Awards.
It comes after the actress, 51, paid tribute to her ‘exceptional’ friend, McLaren shareholder Mansour Ojjeh, who tragically died aged 68 on Sunday morning ‘surrounded by his family’ in Geneva.
Catherine put on a brave face during the ceremony and looked effortlessly chic in a plunging black wraparound dress.
Radiant: Catherine Zeta-Jones looked radiant as she virtually presented the gong for best Single Drama at Sunday’s 2021 British Academy Television Awards
The Chicago star styled her brunette locks into a blow-dried hairdo, adding a slick of radiant make-up.
Speaking before presenting Sitting in Limbo the best Single Drama award, Catherine said: ‘Each of theses well-deserved nominations for best Single Drama demonstrate the power of honest writing and compelling acting.
‘Undertaking true stories with ambition and challenging storylines that leave their mark on each and every viewer.’
Earlier in the day, Catherine paid tribute to her ‘exceptional’ friend Ojjeh, saying: ‘Thank you birthday brother for the joy you gave me in calling you a friend.’
Sad: It comes after the actress, 51, paid tribute to her ‘exceptional’ friend, McLaren shareholder Mansour Ojjeh, who tragically died aged 68 on Sunday morning ‘surrounded by his family’ in Geneva (pictured together in 2019)
Tribute: Catherine put on a brave face during the ceremony and looked effortlessly chic in a plunging black wraparound dress
The actress posted a collection of past photographs with Ojjeh to her Instagram, she penned: ‘Mansour Ojjeh, thank you birthday brother for the joy you gave me in calling you a friend.
‘You were an exceptional human being and your love, light and laughter will live with us forever and ever and ever and ever……..sleep tight my love. Kathy, Lana, Lia, Sara, Sultan… I love you.’
McLaren shareholder Ojjeh died aged 68 on Sunday morning ‘surrounded by his family’ in Geneva, the British team announced.
Ojjeh, who worked with Ron Dennis after buying into McLaren in 1984, was a key figure in the constructor’s ensuing success in Formula One.
Guest presenter: The Chicago star styled her brunette locks into a blow-dried hairdo, adding a slick of radiant make-up
In a statement ahead of Sunday’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix, McLaren said: ‘It is with deep sadness that McLaren Racing announces the death of Mansour Ojjeh, shareholder of McLaren since 1984.
‘Mr Ojjeh passed away peacefully this morning in Geneva, aged 68, surrounded by his family.
‘All at McLaren Racing mourn his loss together with his family, to whom the team sends its most heartfelt condolences.’
Elsewhere, Sunday’s BAFTA TV Awards celebrated and rewarded the very best programmes and performances of 2020.
The evening was hosted by Richard Ayoade and featured performances by Years & Years and Alexis Ffrench
While Line Of Duty’s Adrian Dunbar, Bill Bailey, Jon Snow, Oti Mabuse, Rob Beckett, Rose Matafeo, Sanjeev Bhaskar, and Zawe Ashton acted as presenters.
Other guest presenters – Catherine O’Hara, Jon Snow, Catherine, Jamie Demetriou, Tommy Jessop, Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse – appeared via video call during the ceremony.
Winner: Following its three wins at the British Academy Television Craft Awards in May, I May Destroy You, won two more BAFTAs on Sunday, for Mini-Series and Leading Actress for Michaela Coel (pictured middle)
Big hit: Small Axe starring John Boyega (left) and Letitia Wright (right) led the nominations with 15 nods, with Malachi Kirby winning on the night for his performance in the Supporting Actor category
Following its three wins at the British Academy Television Craft Awards in May, I May Destroy You, won two more BAFTAs on Sunday, for Mini-Series and Leading Actress for Michaela Coel.
The drama series follows a woman who seeks to rebuild her life after a sexual assault.
Elsewhere, the Leading Actor award was won by first-time nominee Paul Mescal for his performance as Connell in Normal People.
Malachi Kirby, another first-time winner, won for his performance in Small Axe in the Supporting Actor category. Small Axe had led this year’s nominations with 15 nods.
And Small Axe – which features five films that tell stories about lives of West Indian immigrants in London from the 1960s to the 1980s – also picked up two Leading Actor nominations with John Boyega and Shaun Parkes both receiving nods.
Coming-of-age drama: First-time nominee Paul Mescal scooped the gong for Leading Actor for his performance as Connell in Normal People (pictured with co-star Daisy Edgar Jones)
Rakie Ayola also won her first BAFTA for Supporting Actress for her performance in Anthony.
Another first-time nominee, Aimee Lou Wood scooped a gong in Female Performance in a Comedy Programme for playing Aimee Gibbs in Sex Education.
Male Performance in a Comedy Programme was awarded to Charlie Cooper for his performance in This Country.
Comedian Romesh Ranganathan received the BAFTA for Entertainment Performance for The Ranganation.
Save Me Too received the BAFTA for Drama Series and Sitting in Limbo won for Single Drama.
In the running: The Crown received 10 nominations – four for TV and six for the craft categories – including a nod for the Drama Series accolade
The Big Narstie Show won Comedy Entertainment Programme, its first win following its previous nomination in 2019. And the BAFTA for Entertainment Programme was awarded to Life & Rhymes while Scripted Comedy was awarded to Inside No 9.
The School That Tried to End Racism received the BAFTA for Reality & Constructed Factual. Long Lost Family: Born Without Trace won in the Features category. They Saw the Sun First won the BAFTA for Short Form Programme.
Casualty was awarded the BAFTA for Soap & Continuing Drama, its first since 2018. The Great House Giveaway won the BAFTA in the new Daytime category.
News Coverage was awarded to Sky News’ Inside Idlib, and the award for Current Affairs was presented to America’s War on Abortion (Exposure). International was awarded to Welcome to Chechnya: The Gay Purge (Storyville).
Once Upon a Time in Iraq received the BAFTA for Factual Series, Locked In: Breaking the Silence (Storyville) won Single Documentary and The Surgeon’s Cut won Specialist Factual.
Tough competition: Jodie Comer (left in Killing Eve) went head-to-head with Billie Piper (right in I Hate Suzie) for Leading Actress however it was Michaela Coel who won
England V West Indies Test Cricket triumphed in the Sport category, while the award for Live Event was presented to Springwatch 2020.
And Virgin Media’s Must-See Moment, the only award voted for by the public, was scooped by Britain’s Got Talent for the moment when Diversity performed a routine inspired by the events of 2020.
The category also saw nods to Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) being revealed as Lady Whistledown in Bridgerton and when Luke Skywalker appeared in the climax of The Mandalorian’s second season.
It was revealed earlier this week the awards show would beam celebrities who can’t attend in person onto the red carpet as holograms.
Presenters Stacey Dooley and Vick Hope introduced the hologram guests to those actually at the socially distanced ceremony.
Achievement: Diversity’s controversial BGT Black Lives Matter routine (pictured) won the BAFTA Television Awards 2021’s Must-See Moment award
Covid restrictions meant TV fans couldn’t be in attendance on the red carpet as usual and some nominees weren’t able to attend because of filming bubbles.
In an attempt to ensure everyone can access the awards, Virgin Media beamed them onto the red carpet through the latest hologram technology.
Ahead of Sunday’s ceremony, it was also reported that BAFTA TV had ‘temporarily paused’ Fellowships and Special Awards.
It comes after Noel Clarke, who has been accused by more than 20 women of sexual harassment and bullying, was suspended from BAFTA amid the allegations after he won the Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema award in April.
It was recently reported the British Academy of Film and Television Awards spent two weeks deciding how best to respond to allegations against Clarke, 45, prior to presenting him with one of its highest honours.
Drama: Bridgerton’s Lady Whistledown shock twist, which revealed Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan, pictured) as the mysterious gossip, was also on the shortlist however lost out on the night to Diversity’s BGT routine
According to reports, bosses have suspended ‘all the individual honours’ which are ‘in the gift of the Academy’ ahead of the ceremony, with The Mirror stating bosses are fearing giving an award to another scandal-ridden industry figure.
The Mirror claims a message was sent to members last week which explained that BAFTA were ‘reviewing its selection protocols for its prestigious solo accolades’.
The publication reported that the message said: ‘We wanted to let you know that while we review the processes behind selecting the awards that are ‘in the gift of the Academy’ – the Special Awards and Fellowships – we have temporarily paused these kinds of awards and they will not feature in Sunday’s ceremony.’
The Mirror claims that the only other time a TV Fellowship was ‘given and then cancelled’ was Rolf Harris.
The disgraced children’s entertainer was stripped of his BAFTA Fellowship after he was convicted of 12 indecent assaults at Southwark Crown Court in June 2014, and was sentenced to six years behind bars.
Suspended: BAFTA TV reportedly ‘temporarily paused’ Fellowships and Special Awards after Noel Clarke was suspended from BAFTA amid sexual harassment and bullying allegations
Harris was released from HMP Stafford on parole in May 2017 after serving just three years of his sentence.
Over the years, a collection of people have been awarded a BAFTA Fellowship, the highest accolade the Academy can bestow, including Joan Bakewell, Kate Adie, Jon Snow, Julie Walters and Joanna Lumley.
While the likes of Idris Elba, Lenny Henry and the late Cilla Black have previously won a Special Award during the ceremony.
However, the BAFTA website states that awards ‘in the gift of the Academy’ are ‘presented at the discretion of the BAFTA Television Committee; therefore they may not all be presented in any given year’.
MailOnline contacted BAFTA for comment at the time.
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