Mr Bates vs The Post Office praised at Baftas for ‘extraordinary impact’

The ITV drama, starring actor Toby Jones as Alan Bates, documents the miscarriage of justice against hundreds of subpostmasters during the Horizon IT scandal.

The series was not eligible for nomination at this year’s Bafta Television Awards because it was broadcast in January, meaning it will be recognised at the ceremony next year.

Despite this, the series was still applauded and acknowledged during the awards show in the Royal Festival Hall on Sunday.

As actress Eleanor Tomlinson took to the stage alongside comedian and actor Stephen Merchant to present the award for autobiographical drama, she took a moment to recognise the series for its “extraordinary impact”.

Tomlinson said: “It showed us that TV has the power not only to raise public awareness but also to provoke positive change on a social and political scale.

“As Mr Bates vs the Post Office was first broadcast in January this year, it will be eligible for next year’s TV awards.

“We’d like to take a moment this evening to acknowledge it’s extraordinary impact and indeed the impact of so many of tonight’s nominees in creating real and lasting change,” to which an applause erupted from the audience members in the arena.

Comedian Merchant then took a moment to raise awareness for “another social injustice” – how difficult it is to get clothes when you are tall – which earned some laughs from the audience.

The actor said: “I’d like to take this opportunity to highlight another social injustice that no-one is talking about, which is how hard it is to get clothes when you’re six foot seven.

“Ant and Dec will know what I’m talking about.

“We tall guys are not making this up, we have to buy clothes from specialist online shops, and they know we’ve got no choice so they can give themselves names which actively insult the customers.”

Merchant then asked Tomlinson to read the label on the shirt he was wearing, to which she replied: “Too tall”, earning a laugh from the audience.