Gothic glamour is the style of choice at the TV BAFTA Awards 2014 with Helena Bonham Carter, Sophie Ellis Bextor and Jodie Whittaker hitting the red carpet in dramatic black gowns

By Hanna Flint

Published: 13:56 EST, 18 May 2014 | Updated: 06:06 EST, 22 May 2014

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Only a few months ago, the stars of the big screen turned out to see who would win a coveted BAFTA film award, but now it’s the small screen’s stars turn to celebrate a year of ground-breaking television.

And on one of the hottest days of the year so far, the creme de la creme of the acting world descended on the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, in London’s West End for the Arqiva TV BAFTA Awards 2014 and they certainly brought the glamour of Hollywood with them.

But it seems that Gothic was the fashionable theme on Sunday night, with Helena Bonham Carter, Sophie Ellis Bextor and Jodie Whittaker arriving in dramatically black outfits. 

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Best of British glamour: Helena Bonham Carter, Sophie Ellis Bextor and Jodie Whittaker wowed in dramatic black outfits at the BAFTA TV Awards

Welcome Ms Taylor: Helena Bonham Carter wore a black strapless dress and her style in a bouffant updo to make her look ever so much like the late Hollywood actress who she brought to life in the TV mini-series Burton And Taylor

Old Hollywood: Helena wore a silver pair of vintage shades as she hit the red carpet at the TV BAFTAs on Sunday night

Burton and Taylor: Dominic West tries on his co-stars glasses for size while she reveals her purple make-up style  

Glittering: Helena looked every inch a star as she posed in her diamond-encrusted sunglassess

  

Helena Bonham Carter arrived in a strapless heart gown with a heart-shaped neckline and vintage sunglasses to make her look ever so like Elizabeth Taylor, the late actress who Bonham Carter brought to life on the small screen – a role she is also nominated for.

The BAFTA-winning star styled her in a bouffant updo, another look that was very much of the style of Taylor during the sixties and seventies.

Sophie Ellise Bextor stunned in a black and sequinned slash neck gown and added a touch of pink lipstick to brighten her look, while piling her dark brown locks into a wavy updo. She was joined by her husband Richard Jones of The Feeling for the awards ceremony.

Actress Jodie Whittaker and presenter Caroline Flack wore strapless black numbers but Jodie opted for a sleek jumpsuit from The Couture Gallery, while Caroline chose a dramatic full skirt.

Still going strong: The Feeling’s Richard Jones joined his wife Sophie Ellis-Bextor at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane

Dramatic: Gizzie Erskine wears retro black and sequinned criss-cross dress while presenter Caroline Flack looks like a dark princess in her strapless gown with a heart-shaped neckline

Sleek and chic: Davina McCall, Louise Redknapp and Samia Ghadie were also fans of black at the ceremony

Masculine: Emily Atack bucked the trend by wearing a smart trouser suit.. but it was still in gothic black. The actress also wore Beauty Works Celebrity Choice Keratin Bonds shade #6/24 Honey Blonde

James Corden and his wife Julia Carey were stylishly in sync as were former Coronation Street co-stars Julie Hesmondhalgh and David Neilson, while Emily Atak bucked the trend by wearing a smart trouser suit.. but it was still in gothic black. She added Beauty Works Celebrity Choice Keratin Bonds shade #6/24 Honey Blonde to her hair to complete her modern look.

Strictly Come Dancing presenters Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daley arrived together in cocktail dresses.

Claudia kept it simple in a burgundy and black strapless bodycon dress, and went against her usual lip style of wearing a nude colour by adding a touch of pink. However it seems her hair got a little windswept on the way there, but altogether the presenter looked chic and elegant.

Surprise Surprise: Cilla Black wore a sequinned and velvet gown to the event, looking as glamorous as ever

Strictly sidekicks: Tess Daly and her new Strictly Come Dancing co-host Claudia Winkleman arrive together in style at the BAFTA TV Awards 2014

Winning looks: Tess and her new co-host will be hoping their show Strictly Come Dancing takes away Best Entertainment Programme

Chic looks: Claudia opted for a bodycon strapless dress in burgundy and black while Tess chose a black sequinned lace gown with a white underlay for the ceremony

Tess added more sparkle to her outfit with a pair of glittering silver shoes and carried a Lulu Guinness lip-shaped clutch bag in red. Her curled hair was styled into a side-parting which helped show off her drop earrings.

They will be hoping the production team for Strictly Come Dancing takes away a prize tonight as it is nominated in the category of Best Entertainment Programme.

Game Of Thrones star Sophie Turner was amongst the first arrivals and took to the res carpet in a strapless floor-length gown featuring a black and blue floral pattern against an off-white background. The young actress carried a snakeskin box clutch and wore her long red hair in loose waves.

Affectionate: Naomi Campbell and Davina McCall share a warm embrace as they pose at the awards

Her co-stars David Bradley and Oona Chapman on the TV BAFTA red carpet but last time they were on screen together his character Walder Frey arranged for the murder of her pregnant character Talisa Stark at the infamous  Red Wedding

Ophelia Lovibond brought some summer brightness, in a vibrant pink brocade dress featuring a high neck and a full skirt. The Guardians Of The Galaxy star wore her brunette hair in a chic updo, and like Tess, carried a Lulu Guiness lip-shaped bag but in silver and wore Monica Vinader jewellery.

The nominations for this year’s TV BAFTA Awards were announced last month, with Dominic West and Helena Bonham Carter’s portrayal of Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor’s tempestuous relationship up for a prize.

Fashion forward: Millie Mackintosh looked like an award herself in her gold knitted Julien Macdonald dress and carried a Kate Spade New York clutch while husband Professor Green stuck to black and blue

The pair, who appeared in a BBC drama based on the couple’s life, are in the running for the leading actor and actress awards at the annual event after nominations were announced on Monday.

They face competition from big names including Jamie Dornan and Olivia Colman who was one of the stars of last year’s awards.

Colman, nominated for Broadchurch, is also up against Kerrie Hayes from The Mill and Maxine Peake from The Village for the leading actress award.

Dornan is nominated for his role as the twisted killer in BBC2’s The Fall, alongside Luke Newberry from zombie thriller In The Flesh.

Pretty in pink: Ophelia Lovibond war a vintage-inspire brocade dress and carried a Lulu Guinness lip-shaped clutch bag

In the detail: Alex Jones, Michelle Collins and Amanda Byram opted for light gowns featuring intricate patterns, layers, sequins and lace

They’ve made up! Game Of Thrones stars David Bradley and Oona Chaplin on the TV BAFTA red carpet but last time they were on screen together his character Walder Frey arranged for the murder of her pregnant character Talisa Stark at the infamous Red Wedding

Channel 4 drama Southcliffe, about the aftermath of a series of shootings in a small town, triumphed with a leading actor nomination for Sean Harris and supporting actor and actress nods for fellow cast members Rory Kinnear and Shirley Henderson.

The show is also in the running in the mini-series category.

Broadchurch’s David Bradley is nominated for supporting actor, with Ripper Street’s Jerome Flynn and Nico Mirallegro from The Village completing the shortlist.

Henderson faces competition from Claire Rushbrook for My Mad Fat Diary in the supporting actress category with nods for on-screen sisters Sarah Lancashire and Nicola Walker from Last Tango In Halifax.

Sunday night taakeway: Ant & Dec arrived together in smart suits and are up for an award

Broadchurch: Co-stars Olivia Colman and Jodie Whittaker catch up on the red carpet

Green with envy: Olivia wore a simple floor-length gown and her short hair in retro waves

Catching up: The Broadchurch star gets a hug from actor Andrew Buchan before they head into the show

It is a tale of two shows in the tussle to be named best male performance in a comedy with The IT Crowd’s Richard Ayoade and Chris O’Dowd up against Matthew Baynton and James Corden from The Wrong Mans.

Veteran star Frances De La Tour’s role in Vicious sees her nominated for female performance in a comedy alongside The IT Crowd’s Katherine Parkinson, Doon MacKichan for Plebs and Kerry Howard for Him And Her: The Wedding.

The latter is also nominated in the situation comedy category along with Count Arthur Strong, Toast Of London and The IT Crowd.

Joining Southcliffe in the mini-series category are The Great Train Robbery, The Fall and In The Flesh.

Glowing: Natasha Hamilton proudly showed off her baby bump in a blue floor-length gown

Bright and bold: Presenters Jenni Falconer and Susanna Reid stepped out in colourful dresses of green and salmon pink

Turning heads: Actress Sally Farmiloe and her daughter Jade wow in the red carpet in contrasting outfits

The nominations for best single drama are Black Mirror: Be Right Back, Complicit, The Wipers Times and the Doctor Who anniversary drama An Adventure In Space And Time.

The event’s host, Graham Norton, is nominated for entertainment performance for his chat show and is up against Sarah Millican, Charlie Brooker and Geordie duo Ant and Dec.

The Graham Norton Show is also nominated in the comedy and comedy entertainment programme category along with A League of Their Own, Would I Lie To You? and last year’s winner The Revolution Will Be Televised.

Black and white: The Great British Bake Off presenters Sue Perkins (left) and Mel Giedroyc attend in monochrome suits

Hollywood: Jeremy Piven and Luke Evans bring some male star shine to the red carpet

Looking good: A bearded Aaron Paul is dapper in a suit and tie on the red carpet

Carter family outing: Sam Strike, Kellie Bright, Danny Dyer and Maddy Hill arriving for the 2014 Arqiva British Academy Television Awards

Top of the crops: Sheridan Smith had dyed her hair a punky purple while Julie Walters added texture to her chic white ‘do

Dapper: Lee Mack and Rob Brydon attend the Arqiva British Academy Television Awards at the Theatre Royal

Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway is also nominated for entertainment programme alongside Derren Brown: The Great Art Robbery, Dynamo Magician Impossible and Strictly Come Dancing.
Casualty, Coronation Street, EastEnders and Holby City will battle it out to be named best soap.

French supernatural drama The Returned is up against Danish political thriller Borgen, cult US show Breaking Bad and the remake of House Of Cards for the international award.

Smart: A dapper Richard Ayoade and an elegant Lydia Fox arriving for the 2014 Arqiva British Academy Television Awards

Doing the Mo-bot! Mo Farah cheekily posed with his trademark M as he arrived in his black three-piece suit while Jim Broadbent opted for a black tuxedo and deep purple bow-tie

Blending in: Ross Kemp looked dapper in black as he posed with his wife Renee O’Brien, who wowed in a long-sleeved red dress

ITV’s hit Gogglebox is in the running for the reality and constructed factual award with The Big Reunion, Dragons’ Den and The Undateables.

The show is also in the running for the Radio Times Audience Award, which is voted for by the public.

It faces competition from Breaking Bad, Broadchurch, Doctor Who: The Day Of The Doctor, Educating Yorkshire and The Great British Bake Off.

This year’s awards will be handed out during a ceremony at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, in London’s West End on Sunday May 18.