BAFTA TV Awards 2026: Best and Worst Dressed — My Honest Verdict

BAFTA TV Awards 2026 Best Dressed

After the Met Gala delivered one of the most memorable red carpets in recent years, the BAFTA TV Awards 2026 red carpet had a difficult act to follow. It did not rise to the occasion. What should have been a celebration of British style and elegance at one of the most prestigious evenings in the television calendar felt instead like a competition in a category nobody asked for — who could wear the least.

The naked dress trend, which has overstayed its welcome on every red carpet this year, dominated in a way that left very little room for the kind of considered, elegant dressing that the BAFTAs used to stand for. There were exceptions. But they were fewer than they should have been.

Emily Blackwell

Made in Chelsea’s Emily Blackwell was the standout of the evening — and the gap between her and the rest of the carpet was considerable. A one-shoulder burgundy dress that said everything without raising its voice. Classy, considered, effortlessly elegant. Hair swept up, minimal jewellery, nothing competing for attention. This is the formula that British black tie rewards when it is done correctly — and it is rarer than it should be. Emily Blackwell understood the assignment when many others did not.

Lucy Punch

Lucy Punch in a sleeveless tangerine column dress was an elegant second. The colour was a brave choice for a black tie event and she wore it with complete conviction. A column silhouette in a statement colour, worn simply — no excess, no fuss. The kind of red carpet dressing that photographs beautifully and holds up on reflection the following morning. Well done.

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Marisa Abela, Jodie Whittaker and Emilia Fox

Marisa Abela in an off-the-shoulder black gown — the kind of classic silhouette that never fails when the fit is right, and on her it was. Jodie Whittaker in a red halterneck dress that was genuinely beautiful — strong colour, strong shape, worn with the confidence it deserved. And Emilia Fox in an emerald green Grecian-style dress that was perhaps the most quietly elegant look of the entire evening. All three understood that British black tie is about precision and restraint — not spectacle for its own sake.

Millie Mackintosh

Millie Mackintosh in a lemon co-ordinate was a fresh and confident choice — the colour was perfect for her and the overall look had real personality. The one caveat: the midriff on show at a black tie event is a styling choice that edges away from the elegance the occasion calls for. Cover the midriff and this would have been a contender for best dressed of the night. As it stood — almost, but not quite.

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Jorgie Porter

Hollyoaks actress Jorgie Porter arrived in a silver sheer dress that left very little to the imagination. The naked dressing trend has been a recurring conversation this awards season, and not always a flattering one. The BAFTA TV Awards is a black tie event at the Royal Festival Hall — one of the most prestigious venues in London. It demands dressing that rises to the occasion. A sheer dress worn without adequate coverage does not meet that standard, regardless of how good the figure underneath it is. Occasion dressing requires occasion awareness. This missed it.

Aimee Lou Wood

This one genuinely surprised me. After a year in which Aimee Lou Wood has consistently delivered on the red carpet — Versace, Alexander McQueen, looks that have made her one of the most talked-about British actresses in fashion — a strapless black satin dress felt like a significant step back. Not badly dressed by any ordinary measure. But for someone who has demonstrated real fashion intelligence and genuine risk-taking this year, safe is disappointing. The expectation she has set for herself is high. This did not meet it.

The 2026 BAFTA TV Awards red carpet was a missed opportunity. The talent was there. The occasion was there. The venue was there. What was missing was a collective commitment to dressing with the elegance the evening deserves. A handful of women delivered it beautifully — and stood out all the more for it because so few others did.

Read: What Time Are the BAFTA TV Awards 2026 and How to Watch and Amandaland Is Back And It Understands You Better Than You Think.

Natalie Dixon

Natalie Dixon is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Chic Style Collective — a platform she built after years of searching for a fashion site that felt genuinely luxurious but was actually affordable. A graduate of the Condé Nast College of Fashion & Design, she brings over 20 years in fashion and lifestyle journalism.

A decade of professional hairstyling experience, and makeup artistry training from the Academy of Freelance Makeup in London. She has reported from London Fashion Week and contributed to The Scotsman and National World.

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