Heartbreaking reason why Richard E Grant wore two watches while presenting at the BAFTA Awards 2023
There is a heartbreaking reason behind why Richard E Grant was wearing two watches at the BAFTA Awards 2023 on Sunday night.
Many spotted that the Swazi-English actor and presenter, 65, had one on each wrist that were visible under his white suit jacket.
Richard expertly presented the ceremony alongside Alison Hammond – who impressed viewers have now called a ‘dream team’.
As for the watches, it is due to the fact that the presenter is a dual citizen of both the UK and Eswatini (formerly called Swaziland) – so he wears a watch set each time zone.
The first watch is set to Greenwich Meantime (GMT), and the second, which was gifted to him by his late father, is permanently set to Swaziland time.
Thoughtful: There is a heartbreaking reason behind why Richard E Grant was wearing two watches at the BAFTA Awards 2023 on Sunday night
Different: Many spotted that the Swazi-English actor and presenter, 65, had one on each wrist that were visible under his white suit jacket
‘Why does Richard E Grant need two watches?’, one viewer wondered on Twitter during the ceremony.
‘Does Richard E Grant have 2 watches on??’ asked a second.
Richard’s father Henrik Esterhuysen died prematurely from lung cancer at the age of 52 when he was 24.
Richard has previously said of his death: ‘It is a recurring regret that he never lived to see me succeed beyond university and drama.’
Henrik was head of education for the British government administration in the British protectorate of Swaziland.
BAFTA hosts Richard and Alison were praised by viewers following Sunday’s ceremony who branded them a ‘dream team’.
While actor Richard took to the main stage This Morning’s Alison, 48, interviewed stars behind the scenes.
The duo oozed confidence as they led proceedings and enjoyed a giggle or two during the ceremony.
Fun: Richard expertly presented the ceremony alongside Alison Hammond – who impressed viewers have now called a ‘dream team’
Idea: As for the watches, it is due to the fact that the presenter is a dual citizen of both the UK and Eswatini (formerly called Swaziland) – so he wears a watch set each time zone
Taking to Twitter one viewer wrote: ‘What a brilliant night [they] work so well together, long may it continue!’.
With another adding: ‘Dream team!’ and ‘[They] are always fab. You are always fab. I love how professionally, down to earth and open you are’.
While a fourth said: ‘Loved you two together’ and ‘My main takeaway from the show this year is that Richard E Grant is a really lovely man’.
And a sixth added: ‘You were excellent, great hosts, the film community really seems to warm to you’.
However other viewers were less than impressed with Alison’s backstage segment branding it ‘annoying’ and ‘disjointed’.
One wrote: ‘Why is the Alison Hammond bit there? Is it for bbc America for commercials?? It’s so disjointed #BAFTAs.’
BAFTAs 2023 winners at a glance
BEST FILM – All Quiet on the Western Front
OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM – The Banshees of Inisherin
DIRECTOR – Edward Berger, All Quiet on the Western Front
LEADING ACTRESS – Cate Blanchett, Tar
LEADING ACTOR – Austin Butler, Elvis
SUPPORTING ACTRESS – Kerry Condon, The Banshees of Inisherin
SUPPORTING ACTOR – Barry Keoghan, The Banshees of Inisherin
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY – The Banshees of Inisherin
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY – All Quiet on the Western Front
FILM NOT IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE – All Quiet on the Western Front
DOCUMENTARY – Navalny
ANIMATED FILM – Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio
ORIGINAL SCORE – All Quiet on the Western Front
EE RISING STAR AWARD – Emma Mackey
Another chimed in with, ‘These Alison Hammond interviews suck all energy out of the BAFTAs show. Format just doesn’t work. #BAFTA2023.’
A third penned, ‘Oh my word. Please no more Alison Hammond. With absolutely meaningless drivel. I mean, where is the relevant conversation about the winners so far. #BAFTA2023.’
More added: ‘Every time it cuts to these pointless mid show chats with Alison Hammond #BAFTAs,’ and, ‘What did we do wrong to deserve these Alison Hammond segments? #BAFTAs.’
Others concluded, ‘Alison Hammond segments are just dead air. I want to see the awards, not this tongue job! #BAFTA2023,’ as well as, ‘Could do without the chatty bits with Alison Hammond #BAFTAs.’
The biggest night in British film returned on Sunday evening with Richard taking the helm to present the 76th EE British Academy Film Awards.
Held at the Royal Festival Hall, Richard, was joined by Alison to host the star-studded ceremony, while film critic Ali Plum was on the red carpet with Vick Hope.
Getting ready for the show: The presenter made quite an entrance to the Royal Festival Hall in a Bat Mobile
Austin Butler was awarded Best Actor at the awards, beating out favourite Colin Farrell in a shock upset.
The actor fought back tears as he paid tribute to the Presley family while accepting the honour, after portraying the late King Of Rock in the Baz Lurhmann biopic.
Cate Blanchett was also awarded Best Leading Actress for her performance in the biopic Tar, the film’s only big win of the night.
Tearfully, she accepted the gong as she thanked her mother and director Todd Field, adding that Blanchett also said that 2022 had been an ‘extraordinary year for women’.
Netflix’s German war epic All Quiet On The Western Front was the big winner of the night with a total of seven gongs, including Best Film, while The Banshees of Inisherin was close behind with five, including Best British Film and Best Supporting Actor and Actress respectively.
During his opening monologue, Richard referenced Will Smith’s infamous slap at last year’s Oscars, telling audiences that ‘on my watch no one gets slapped tonight’.
Smith stormed onto the stage during the 94th annual Academy Awards in March and slapped presenter Chris Rock after the comedian made a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith.
The actor, who went on to win the coveted best actor Oscar moments later, was later banned from all Academy events for the next 10 years and resigned from the organisation.
Speaking at the Baftas, Grant said that the only slaps being received on Sunday would be ‘on the back’.
BAFTA FILM AWARDS 2023: THE WINNERS
BEST FILM
Acclaim: Netflix anti-war epic All Quiet On The Western Front
All Quiet On The Western Front – WINNER
The Banshees of Inisherin
Elvis
Everything Everywhere All At Once
Tar
BEST ACTRESS
First nomination: Ana de Armas is up for Leading Actress
Cate Blanchett (Tar) – WINNER
Viola Davis (The Woman King)
Danielle Deadwyler (Till)
Ana de Armas (Blonde)
Emma Thompson (Good Luck to You, Leo Grande)
Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All At Once
BEST ACTOR
In the running: Austin Butler is up for Best Actor for his portrayal of Elvis
Austin Butler (Elvis) – WINNER
Colin Farrell (The Banshees of Inisherin)
Brendan Fraser (The Whale)
Daryl McCormack (Good Luck To You, Leo Grande)
Paul Mescal (Aftersun)
Bill Nighy (Living)
OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM
Aftersun
The Banshees Of Inisherin – WINNER
Brian and Charles
Empire of Light
Good Luck to You Leo Grande
Living
Roald Dahl’s Matilda
See How They Run
The Swimmers
The Wonder
OUTSTANDING DEBUT BY A BRITISH WRITER, DIRECTOR OR PRODUCER
Aftersun (Charlotte Wells) – WINNER
Blue Jean (Georgia Oakley, Helene Sifre)
Electric Malady (Marie Liden)
Good Luck To You, Leo Grande (Katy Brand)
Rebellion (Maia Kenworthy)
FILM NOT IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE
All Quiet On The Western Front – WINNER
Argentina, 1985
Corsage
Decision To Leave
The Quiet Girl
DOCUMENTARY
All The Breathes
All The Beauty And The Bloodshed
Fire Of Love
Moonage Daydream
Navalny – WINNER
ANIMATED FILM
Pinocchio – WINNER
Marcel The Shell With Shoes On
Puss In Boots: The Last Wish
Turning Red
DIRECTOR
Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Qua in Everything Everywhere All At Once
All Quiet On The Western Front, Edward Berger – WINNER
The Banshees of Inisherin Martin McDonagh
Decision To Leave, Park Chan-wook
Everything Everywhere All At Once, Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert
Tar, Todd Field
The Woman King, Gina Prince-Bythewood
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
The Banshees of Inisherin – WINNER
Everything Everywhere All At Once
The Fabelmans
Tar
Triangle of Sadness
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
All Quiet On The Western Front – WINNER
Living
The Quiet Girl
She Said
The Whale
SOUND
All Quiet On The Western Front – WINNER
Avatar: The Way Of Water
Elvis
Tar
Top Gun: Maverick
BRITISH SHORT ANIMATION
The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse – WINNER
Middle Watch
Your Mountain Is Waiting
SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Angela Bassett (Wakanda Forever)
Hong Chau (The Whale)
Kerry Condon (The Banshees of Inisherin) – WINNER
Dolly De Leon (Triangle of Sadness)
Jamie Lee Curtis (Everything Everywhere All At Once)
Carey Mulligan (She Said)
SUPPORTING ACTOR
Shortlisted: Eddie Redmayne is up for Supporting Actor in The Good Nurse
Brendan Gleeson (The Banshees Of Inisherin)
Barry Keoghan (The Banshees Of Inisherin) – WINNER
Ke Huy Quan (Everything Everywhere All At Once)
Eddie Redmayne (The Good Nurse)
Albrecht Schuch (All Quiet On The Western Front)
Micheal Ward (Empire Of Light)
CASTING
Triangle of Sadness got a nod in the Casting category
Aftersun
All Quiet On The Western Front
Elvis – WINNER
Everything Everywhere All At Once
Triangle Of Sadness
CINEMATOGRAPHY
All Quiet On The Western Front – WINNER
The Batman
Elvis
Empire Of Light
Top Gun: Maverick
COSTUME DESIGN
Costume Design: Margot Robbie in Babylon
All Quiet On The Western Front
Amsterdam
Babylon
Elvis – WINNER
Mrs Harris Goes To Paris
EDITING
Sequel: Tom Cruise in Top Gun: Maverick
All Quiet On The Western Front
The Banshees Of Inisherin
Elvis
Everything Everywhere All At Once – WINNER
Top Gun: Maverick
MAKE UP & HAIR
All Quiet On The Western Front
The Batman
Elvis – WINNER
Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical
The Whale
ORIGINAL SCORE
All Quiet On The Western Front – WINNER
Babylon
The Banshees of Inisherin
Everything Everywhere All At Once
Pinocchio
PRODUCTION DESIGN
All Quiet On The Western Front
Babylon – WINNER
The Batman
Elvis
Pinocchio
SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS
Avatar: The Way Of Water is up for Special Visual Effects
All Quiet On The Western Front
Avatar: The Way Of Water – WINNER
The Batman
Everything Everywhere All At Once
Top Gun: Maverick
BRITISH SHORT FILM
The Ballad Of Olive Morris
Bazigaga
Bus Girl
A Drifting Up
An Irish Goodbye – WINNER
EE RISING STAR
Happy: Nominees Sheila, Naomi and Daryl
Emma Mackey (Sex Education) – WINNER
Naomie Ackie (Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody)
Sheila Atim (The Woman King)
Aimee Lou Wood (Sex Education)
Daryl McCormack (Good Luck To You)
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