The BAAs are now twenty-something. Here are some of the highs from the thirteen editions held since 1996.
The home of the awards has been on London’s Southbank at the BFI and the NFT1 theatre except for a brief move north of the river Thames to the Shaw Theatre on Euston Road in 2004.
From the beginning, the engagement of a comedian as master of ceremonies was a hit with the UK’s animation community. We have lost the three earliest hosts, Willie Rushton from the very first edition, the wonderful Linda Smith from 2002’s awards and more recently Jeremy Hardy who presented the awards a record four times. Everyone at BAA was shocked by his passing in 2019, he was wonderfully gifted and presented the BAAs with the right tone of wit, satire, sarcasm and comedy that the animation industry and audience appreciated.
The BAA director and committee members have to be credited for talent spotting some fantastic emerging talent and invited them to compere the evening. Many of whom have gone on to wonderful careers in Film and television.
One of the traditions over the years is the sponsors segment. This has to be credited to two wonderfully funny, much loved industry faces, Mr Tony Collingwood and Mr Alan Gilbey—the Eric and Ernie of animation—who have made us laugh, sing, heckle, stand up, sit down, shout and most of all honour and pay tribute to all the sponsors over the years. We thank ewe both!
