Sean Bean has picked up the Best Leading Actor accolade at the BAFTA TV awards today, having been honoured for his role in gritty BBC mini-series Time.
Bean wasn’t at the ceremony today, but the show’s producer Simon Maloney was able to pick up the award on his behalf.
Reading out a letter from the actor that said he was ‘overwhelmed’ by the award, also praising his co-stars.
Bean said in his letter: "My fellow cast members, especially the incredible Stephen Graham, were an inspiration to me. without whose passion and commitment I would not be receiving this award tonight."
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The three-part series saw Sean Bean play Mark Cobden, a newly-imprisoned English teacher who has to figure out a way of surviving in the brutal new world behind bars - while also battling the guilt and flashbacks stemming from the crime that landed him there.
Graham took on the role of prison guard Eric McNally, who faces an impossible dilemma when inmates identify his weak spot.
Earlier in the ceremony, Stephen Graham also gave a powerful and moving speech as the show picked up the TV BAFTA for Best Mini-Series, praising the efforts of his ‘young working class’ co-stars.
Accepting the accolade, the cast and crew admitted they were ‘ill prepared’ for the win, with Graham leaning into the mic and saying: “Normally everyone says we weren’t expecting this, but on my ma’s life, we weren’t expecting this!”
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Graham went on to praise the ‘phenomenal cast of young working class men’ who were ‘absolutely outstanding.
“And it was an absolute joy to be a part of,” the actor said, explaining how being able to 'tell stories that had a social commentary' was why he ‘wanted to be an actor’ since he was a kid.
He added: “I just wanna say this isn’t a game of footy so there shouldn’t be a winner or a loser. We are all doing exactly what we want to do.
“I was just wanna say as well it was an absolute honour to get to act with my wife!”
Topics: TV and Film, BAFTAs
Jess Hardiman