How to watch the BAFTA Film Awards 2021 online and on the BBC iPlayer

How to watch the Bafta film awards 2021 online
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BAFTA Film Awards 2021 DETAILS

The BAFTA Film Awards 2021 Opening Night airs on BBC Two on Saturday, April 10 at 3 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. GMT, whereas the main show is broadcast on BBC One on Sunday, April 11 at 4 p.m ET / 9 p.m. GMT. BBC America has main BAFTA ceremony, however, you can watch coverage no matter where in the world you are using a VPN

Next up on the awards season schedule, it's time to watch the BAFTA Film Awards 2021 — as it's the Brits turn.

The 74th annual BAFTAs will be a little different this year, as with basically every awards event the glitzy ceremony has had to be revamped in the wake of the ongoing pandemic. However, the awards show’s purpose of celebrating the best British and international films of the past twelve months remains unchanged. 

A slightly tweaked nomination process this year has lead to a pretty diverse slate of nominees. Movies like Rocks and The Mauritanian, both of which received little attention from the Academy Awards, have received multiple nominations here. 

Films such as Nomadland, The Father, Judas and the Black Messiah and Promising Young Woman, which have been ever-present at just about every awards show of the season, are of course also heavily featured, gaining nominations in multiple categories. 

The acting categories boast one of the most pleasantly diverse nomination line-ups at any awards show. Actors from an ethnic minority background including Daniel Kaluuya, Bukky Bakray and Riz Ahmed are all nominated for their work. 

In a further new twist, the BAFTAs will be presented across two ceremonies this year. The BAFTA Opening Night 2021 airs on BBC Two on Saturday, April 10 at 8 p.m. BST / 3 p.m. ET, and the main BAFTA Film Awards 2021 will be broadcast on BBC One on Sunday, April 11 at 9 p.m. BST / 4 p.m. ET. 

Unfortunately, but understandably, the red carpet has been canceled this year and most stars will be receiving their awards at home in front of a laptop webcam instead of at London’s Royal Albert Hall. Nevertheless, the 2021 BAFTAs still promise to highlight some remarkable cinematic talent, and really that’s the most important thing. 

Here’s everything you need to know about how to watch the BAFTA Film Awards 2021. 

How to watch the BAFTA Film Awards 2021 online anywhere on Earth with a VPN

While the BBC might not technically be available from everywhere in the world, that doesn’t mean international film fans have to miss out on the 2021 BAFTAs. With the right VPN (virtual private network) watching along via the internet is super simple. 

Unsure which VPN is right for you? Don’t worry, we’ve tested plenty of different services and our pick of the best VPN overall is ExpressVPN, which combines superb speeds with unmatched customer service. 


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How to watch the BAFTA Film Awards 2021 in the UK

How to watch the BAFTA Film Awards 2021 in the UK

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You can watch the 74th annual BAFTA Film Awards in the UK on BBC One on Sunday, April 11 at 9 p.m. BST / 4 p.m. ET. 

The BAFTA Film Awards Opening Night, which is a ceremony dedicated to the craft awards such as production design and hair/make-up artists, airs on BBC Two on Saturday, April 10 at 8 p.m. BST / 3 p.m. ET. 

Both programs will be available to stream on BBC iPlayer as well as being accessible via traditional television broadcast.  

How to watch the BAFTA Film Awards 2021 in the US 

How to watch the BAFTA Film Awards 2021 in the US

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In the US, the BAFTA Film Awards 2021 will be broadcast on BBC America on Sunday, April 11 at 4 p.m. ET. BBC America is on two of the best streaming services: Fubo tv and Sling TV. The latter is cheaper and has fewer channels, the former is best for sports.

Sling TV

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Curiously BBC America is not showing the Opening Night ceremony, so US-folks who want to see the craft awards will need to opt for a VPN. We’d recommend using ExpressVPN in order to watch the show on BBC iPlayer. 

How to watch the BAFTA Film Awards 2021 in Canada

How to watch the BAFTA Film Awards 2021 in Canada

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If you’re in Canada, the BAFTA Film Awards 201 are airing on Hollywood Suite 00s Movies channel on Sunday, April 11 at 8 p.m. ET — this is obviously not a live broadcast.

Those who want to see the awards as they happen, and also want to watch the craft awards in full the night before, can do so using a VPN. ExpressVPN is our pick of the bunch, and it can be used to watch the BAFTAs by way of BBC iPlayer. 

How to watch the BAFTA Film Awards 2021 in Australia 

How to watch the BAFTA Film Awards 2021 in Australia

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Aussies who want to watch the BAFTA Film Awards would typically turn to BBC UKTV in past years, however, the 2021 iteration of the awards show appears to be missing from the schedule. 

If you’re in Australia and don’t want to miss the biggest night in British cinema, then ExpressVPN can provide you access to an international broadcast of both the craft awards ceremony and the main show itself. 

BAFTA Film Awards 2021 hosts 

This year’s BAFTAs will be hosted by Dermot O’Leary and Edith Bowman. The presenting duo have previously worked the red carpet, so it’s nice to see them being upgraded to the main show for 2021. 

Famous faces presenting the awards include Tom Hiddleston, Pedro Pascal, Anna Kendrick, James McAvoy, David Oyelowo, and Renée Zellweger. Some awards will be presented from a studio in Los Angeles as well.

The BAFTA Film Awards Opening Night will be hosted by Clara Amfo, who is best known for her regular slot as a DJ on Radio 1. 

BAFTA Film Awards 2021 nominees 

Here are the 2021 BAFTA Film Award nominees in the top five categories: 

Best Film
The Father
The Mauritanian
Nomadland
Promising Young Woman
The Trial of the Chicago 7

Outstanding British Film
Calm With Horses
The Dig
The Father
His House
Limbo
The Mauritanian
Mogul Mowgli
Promising Young Woman
Rocks
Saint Maud

Leading actress
Bukky Bakray (Rocks)
Radha Blank (The Forty-Year-Old Version)
Vanessa Kirby (Pieces of a Woman)
Frances McDormand (Nomadland)
Wunmi Mosaku (His House)
Alfre Woodard (Clemency)

Leading actor
Riz Ahmed (Sound of Metal)
Chadwick Boseman (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom)
Adarsh Gourav (The White Tiger)
Sir Anthony Hopkins (The Father)
Mads Mikkelsen (Another Round)
Tahar Rahim (The Mauritanian)

Director
Thomas Vinterberg (Another Round)
Shannon Murphy (Babyteeth)
Lee Isaac Chung (Minari)
Chloé Zhao (Nomadland)
Jasmila Žbanić (Quo Vadis, Aida?)
Sarah Gavron (Rocks)

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Rory Mellon
Entertainment Editor (UK)

Rory is an Entertainment Editor at Tom’s Guide based in the UK. He covers a wide range of topics but with a particular focus on gaming and streaming. When he’s not reviewing the latest games, searching for hidden gems on Netflix, or writing hot takes on new gaming hardware, TV shows and movies, he can be found attending music festivals and getting far too emotionally invested in his favorite football team.