BAFTA is to live stream its game awards following concerns around coronavirus, but has tentative plans to go ahead with its craft and TV awards in April and May, respectively.
The British Academy revealed Thursday that concerns around the spread of coronavirus have prompted it to change the format of the British Academy Games Awards, set to take place on April 2, “from a red carpet ceremony at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London to an online live stream, which will broadcast globally on the same day as scheduled.”
The new format will include the announcement of the winners.
A statement from BAFTA read: “Amid growing concerns over the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) and the number of nominees due to travel from overseas, we have made the decision to change the format of next month’s BAFTA Games Awards.”
BAFTA said the “health and wellbeing of our guests and our staff remain our top priority” and as a result there would be no live audience for the awards. “We are now in the process of informing all our nominees, guests, partners and suppliers of the change,” the statement added saying more updates would be shared in the coming weeks.
The organization’s British Academy Television Craft Awards and Television Awards, are still currently scheduled to go ahead on April 24 and May 17 respectively, though BAFTA said it was continuing to “monitor the situation daily” and that “decisions regarding these and other events in our year-round program will be made on a case-by-case basis.” It will also consider latest official recommendations from the World Health Organisation and Britain’s healthcare bodies the NHS and Public Health England.
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