BAFTA has addressed the criticism it received after the late Bernard Cribbins was left out of the ‘in memoriam’ tribute last night.
In case you missed it, the British Academy’s annual film awards ceremony took place last night at London’s Southbank Centre presented by Richard E Grant and Alison Hammond, and stars of the silver screen turned out in their hundreds to celebrate the cinematic achievements of the past year.
Both massive blockbusters and beloved independent films took home iconic BAFTA golden mask statuettes – with All Quiet on the Western Front, The Banshees of Inisherin, Elvis, Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, and Everything Everywhere All At Once all winning big.
Austin Butler, Cate Blanchett, Barry Keoghan, and Kerry Condon clinched the four acting prizes.
All Quiet on the Western Front‘s Edward Berger won Best Director, while the film also took home Best Adapted Screenplay, and The Banshees of Inisherin‘s writer and director Martin McDonagh accepted Best Original Screenplay.
While the award winners are always the focus and end up being the main talking points of the night, an ‘In Memoriam’ section is usually common place during award show broadcasts, with tributes paid to people in industry who have sadly lost their lives within the past year.
Angela Lansbury, James Caan, Olivia Newton-John, Leslie Philipps, William Hurt, Robbie Coltrane, and Burt Bacharach were just some of names who featured in BAFTA’s ‘In Memoriam’ tribute during last night’s ceremony – but viewers noticed one late famous face was missing from broadcast, and took to social media to call the British Academy out on the omission.
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Oldham-born actor Bernard Cribbins, who was most well-known and loved for his roles in The Railway Children, Doctor Who, and for his narration of The Wombles,sadly died aged 93 back in late July 2022 – yet he was not featured during last night’s ‘In Memoriam’ section at the BAFTA.
The 2023 BAFTAs were held at London’s Southbank Centre last night / Credit: BAFTA
Fans and former co-stars of the acting legend aimed criticism at BAFTA on Twitter after noticing his omission, and questioned the reason why he was left out – with his Railway Children co-star Sally Thomsett saying she was “absolutely appalled that the fabulous Bernard Cribbins was not mentioned” and that BAFTA “should be disgusted with themselves”.
Another Twitter user called Cribbins a “national treasure” and said they were “rather astonished” to not see him being honoured last night.
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How the hell did BAFTA NOT mention Bernard Cribbins in the ‘people we’ve lost in the last 12 months’ montage? His work touched every generation of viewer alive today from Carry On movies to Fawlty Towers to The Wombles to Doctor Who to Old Jack’s Boat on CBeebies. Disgraceful.
— Simon Harris – Man Behaving Dadly (THAT’S DADLY) (@simonharris_mbd) February 20, 2023
Remembering Bernard Cribbins – accomplished television AND film actor. And radio. And stage. If anyone deserved a few seconds on screen In Memoriam at #BAFTAs it was him. I do get he was prolific on TV and I'm sure we'll see him appropriately tributed at the TV awards in spring. pic.twitter.com/XrT1f0hF5H
Never thought we'd have to say this, but shame on @BAFTA for leaving out Bernard Cribbins from their 'In Memoriam' section.
Bernard was 100% a national treasure, and will NEVER be forgotten by the countless people who loved him and adored his characters! 💙💙#DoctorWho#BAFTApic.twitter.com/sxWSTlpFRG
Dozens of other questioning tweets directed at BAFTA flooded the platform during and after the show last night, and it was so much so that the British Academy was forced to address the situation and explain Cribbins’ omission from the tribute.
“With limited time in our broadcast, it isn’t possible to honour all those who have sadly passed away,” BAFTA explained.
“Bernard features in our online records, and given his influential work in TV, he will be considered for inclusion in the next Television Awards broadcast.”
With limited time in our broadcast it isn’t possible to honour all those who have sadly passed away. Bernard features in our online records at https://t.co/cN8n2nwp76 and given his influential work in TV, he will be considered for inclusion in the next Television Awards broadcast
The BAFTA Television Awards are expected to be held later this year on to celebrate the last year of the small screen.
Featured Image – BBC
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This Manchester hotel has a Bonfire Night ‘escape’ package for pets to help keep them calm
Emily Sergeant
One of Manchester’s most luxurious hotels is transforming into the ultimate pet refuge again over the firework season.
Bonfire Night is loved across the UK for the spectacular firework displays and all the festive-themed activities that go along with it, but the November annual event isn’t so fun for our four-legged friends, as fireworks can be frightening to pets due to loud bangs, flashing lights, and the unpleasant strong smell of spent explosives.
With multiple bangs occurring from numerous displays too, pets are rarely able to pinpoint where the booming explosions are coming from, only making it more terrifying for them.
This is why, after becoming a huge success following its launch last year, Kimpton Clocktower Hotel in the heart of the city centre has brought back its special ‘Bonfire Night Escape’ escape package, turning the already pet-friendly hotel into a firework-free sanctuary.
The hotel‘s year-round ‘PAWfect Stay’ package includes any dog staying at no extra cost, plus a pet tuckbox, a guide to the best dog-friendly places in the city, and a toy waiting for them in the room, but this fireworks season, pet owners will also get a luxury hamper including Pet Remedy’s ‘Party Season Survival Kit’
The kit comes together with a range of fast-acting products to help immediately in stressful situations such as fireworks, and includes calming spray, a plug diffuser, and some calming wipes too.
On top of that, dog owners can also take advantage of the hotel’s Music Concierge service, which allows guests to request a record player and vinyls to be placed in the room ahead of check in – with lots of classical and relaxing music records available to distract anxious pets from the noise of Bonfire Night celebrations.
Kimpton Clocktower Hotel has a Bonfire Night ‘escape’ package to help keep pets calm / Credit: Elisha Terada (via Unsplash)
The award-winning The Refuge Bar and Restaurant inside the hotel also offers a menu of carefully-curated dog treats throughout the week, as well as doggy Sunday roasts all Sunday.
David Lockhart, who is the General Manager at Kimpton Clocktower Hotel, said he likes to think of the hotel as a “home-away-from-home for our guests”.
“Our top priority is making sure everyone is feeling safe and comfortable,” he added. “We can’t wait to welcome our November guests and help them care for their four-legged family members, giving them everything they need.”
The Bonfire Night Escape package at Kimpton Clocktower Hotel is available to book from Friday 1 November, subject to availability, and you can request the package via the hotel concierge or by emailing [email protected] to book.
Scissor Sisters confirm reunion after more than a decade ahead of massive Manchester gig
Danny Jones
Still a firm cult favourite from the 2000s, Scissor Sisters are officially back and are bringing a special reunion tour to Manchester and the UK and Ireland at large.
The American outfit were one of the biggest and most well-known pop groups on this side of the Atlantic during their heyday, notching three BRIT Awards and two number-one albums.
Starting out in New York, like many bands in an oversaturated music market, they ended up proving to be much more popular here in Britain than they ever did in the US, not to mention becoming real icons among the LGBTQ+ community.
And now, over a decade later, the Scissor Sisters are set to repay the likes of Manchester, Leeds, London and more with a series of comeback shows, including one at Co-op Live arena – a gig which the venue has already teased earlier this week.
Confirming the reunion on social media on Thursday, 10 October, the band said: “Exciting news, for the first time in over a decade, we will come together again, live next May across the UK and Ireland.
“And for the first time ever, our debut album Scissor Sisters will be performed in full in celebration of its 20th anniversary – alongside all the other Scissor hits from along the way… See you very soon. Jake, Babydaddy, Del.”
Long-time fans were quick to notice that there was no mention of fellow founding member Ana Matronic nor former drummer Randy Real; the band themselves told BBC that the current lineup following their indefinite hiatus is by no means a way of replacing anyone but does give them a chance “to get some people on stage and ask some friends to do fun things.”
Frontman Shears’ 2023 Cabaret co-star, Rebecca Lucy Taylor, was also teased with a possible appearance on the Scissor Sisters reunion tour. Either way, they’ve promised a “little bit of chaos, anarchy” and an “‘anything can happen’ energy again.”
It’s been 12 whole years since we last saw them out on the road, so it’s only fitting that they give us a dozen UK/IE dates, starting at Nottingham’s Motorpoint Arena before bringing the comeback party down the home stretch in Dublin.
Scissor Sisters are set to stun the Manchester crowd with their Co-op Live debut on Wednesday, 21 May 2025, with special guest support from Alison Goldfrapp of the iconic electronic music duo, and we truly really can’t wait to roll back the years with them.
Pre-sale goes live on Wednesday, 6 November at 10am which you can access via their website and general admission tickets will be available from the same time the following Friday, 8 November.
We can’t wait to hear all the favourites – ‘Filthy/Gorgeous’, ‘I Don’t Feel Like Dancin”, ‘Take Your Mama’ and more – but, until then, the announcements coming out of Manchester’s biggest new music venue just don’t stop…
Emily Sergeant -
20th February 2023 
