BAFTAs 2018: 7 Ups & 6 Downs
Downs
6. Joanna Lumley's Bland Hosting Job
After Stephen Fry and Jonathan Ross have spent most of the last two decades juggling BAFTA hosting duties between themselves, the gig went to Absolutely Fabulous star Joanna Lumley this year, and her effort was...totally mediocre.
There's no disputing Lumley's stature as a British national treasure, and it certainly made sense to give the hosting job to a woman this year in light of the #MeToo movement, but it's just a shame that Lumley was given such a lightly inoffensive, boring script to work from.
She didn't do too much beyond broadly praise the nominees and throw out some light ribbing that was undeniable low-hanging fruit. Only so much of it was her fault, but many were no doubt sorely missing the more experienced presence of Stephen Fry in particular.