Martin Freeman, 53, puts on a loved-up display with French actress girlfriend Rachel Benaissa, 30, as she stuns in a red caped gown at BAFTA TV Awards 2025

Martin Freeman and French actress girlfriend Rachel Benaissa appeared happier than ever as they made a loved-up appearance on the BAFTA TV Awards 2025 red carpet on Sunday.

The actor, 53, is up for a Lead Actor nod at the ceremony for his part in BBC One hard-hitting drama The Responder.

And Martin looked handsome as ever in a black two-piece suit which he layered over a crisp pale blue shirt. 

Martin, who played troubled police response officer Chris Carson, finished his sophisticated look with a modest dickie bow, shiny leather black shoes. 

As usual, the Sherlock star was supported by his other half, Rachel, who looked classy in an ankle-length red dress. 

Her one-sleeved garment featured an elegant scarf which draped over her shoulder and showcased her unique arm tattoos. 

Martin Freeman and French actress girlfriend Rachel Benaissa appeared happier than ever as they made a loved-up appearance on the BAFTA TV Awards 2025 red carpet on Sunday

The actor, 53, is up for a Lead Actor nod at the ceremony for his part in BBC One’s The Responder, where he played troubled police response officer Chris Carson

She added inches in her frame as she slipped into a pair of gold strapped sandals and chunky gold hoops.

The award-winning BBC crime drama with Hollywood talent has been shelved despite having a perfect 100% Rotten Tomatoes score.

The Responder has aired two successful series since it first aired in 2022 and is based in Liverpool.

Martin who had been demoted from inspector and struggled to keep a grip on his mental health as he dealt with work and his personal life.

However, insiders have revealed that the popular crime show, created by Tony Schumacher, will not be made into a third season just yet, according to The Sun.

A source told the publication: ‘The BBC are really invested in the series but due to schedules the show has had to be put on ice.

‘Tony is currently working on another project but there is a hope a third series will be made at some point in the future.’

Martin and Rachel come across as a rock solid showbiz couple, despite keeping their relationship so low key that it’s easy for fans to forget they’re together. 

And he looked handsome as ever in a black two-piece suit which he layered over a buttoned up crisp pale blue shirt

Martin finished his sophisticated look with a modest dickie bow, shiny leather black shoes. And as usual, the Sherlock star was supported by his other half, Rachel

Rachel looked classy in an ankle-length red dress which featured an elegant scarf that draped over her shoulder and showcased her unique arm tattoos

She added inches in her frame as she slipped into a pair of gold strapped sandals and chunky gold hoops

The pair have been in a relationship for around five years, following his split from his ex-partner of 16 years, Amanda Abbington, who admits she was a ‘mess’ following their breakup in 2016, which came about after they ‘just couldn’t live with each other anymore’.

While it’s unclear when Martin found love again with Rachel, the couple were first spotted together in 2020 and she appears to have formed a strong bond with his children Joe and Grace.

Martin went public with his romance with the Toulouse-born actress in 2021 but the pair are fiercely private about their relationship and she recently deleted her Instagram account which gave fans a handful of glimpses into the couple’s relationship.

However, Rachel is happy to play the supportive partner and she’s often by Martin’s side on the red carpet to promote his film and TV projects.

The 2025 BAFTA Television Awards with P&O Cruises is taking place at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall on Sunday.

The star-studded evening will see a slew of celebrities take home awards celebrating excellence in TV, as well as a line-up of standout performances.

Global music stars Jessie J and Tom Grennan are both set to put on a show at the ceremony, with powerhouse Jessie singing The Award Goes To as her first TV performance in six years.

Meanwhile, multi-platinum popstar Tom will play his brand new track Full Attention, in a TV exclusive. 

Both performances will air during the awards ceremony on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Sunday 11 May at 7pm. 

In addition, BAFTA has confirmed award-winning concert violinist and social media sensation Esther Abrami will be performing Apple Tree for the In Memoriam tribute.

Speaking about her performance, Jessie J said: ‘I haven’t sung on British television in years. What a way to come back, it’s an honour. But who will the award go to, that’s the question.’

Meanwhile, Tom added: ‘It’s a real honour to have been invited by such a prestigious event as BAFTA to perform in front of so many esteemed actors and creatives.’

Martin’s award-winning BBC crime drama with Hollywood talent has been shelved despite having a perfect 100% Rotten Tomatoes score

For the first time, Scottish actor, writer, producer and presenter Alan Cumming will host the glitzy eremony

For the first time, Scottish actor, writer, producer and presenter Alan Cumming will host the glitzy eremony. 

Emma Baehr, Executive Director of Awards & Content at BAFTA, said: ‘We’re delighted that Alan Cumming will be hosting this year’s BAFTA Television Awards with P&O Cruises.

‘He will definitely bring a playful sense of mischief and fun to the ceremony, so audiences should expect the unexpected at Britain’s biggest celebration of TV on Sunday 11 May.’

Elsewhere, the nominations for the BAFTA Television Awards 2025 P&O Cruises Memorable Moment Award have been announced.

From Gavin and Stacey, to The Traitors and Bridgerton, six of this year’s most acclaimed TV shows are set to battle it out for one of the ceremony’s biggest accolades.

The category is the only award in which the public will be able to have their say and vote for their favourite scene.

Last year’s BAFTA Television Awards delivered an average audience of 2.7 million on BBC One and iPlayer, whilst social media coverage of the night received over 7 million views. 

Strictly Come Dancing has been snubbed of a nomination for the first time in the show’s 20-year history 

Meanwhile, Netflix phenomenon Baby Reindeer led the pack with an incredible eight nominations after it proved a global success following its release last year 

In the Limited Drama category, Baby Reindeer will face ITV drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office, which was based on one of the greatest miscarriages of justice in British legal history

In terms of other nominations, Strictly Come Dancing has been snubbed of a nomination for the first time in the show’s 20-year history.

The BBC favourite had been nominated in the Entertainment Programme category every year since the rebooted version of the show launched in 2004.

Meanwhile, Netflix phenomenon Baby Reindeer led the pack with an incredible eight nominations after it proved a global success following its release last year.

Richard Gadd who wrote and starred in the series about his own experiences of being stalked is up for Leading Actor, while his co-star Jessica Gunning is in the running for the Supporting Actress award.

In the Limited Drama category, Baby Reindeer will face ITV drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office, which was based on one of the greatest miscarriages of justice in British legal history, where hundreds of innocent sub-postmasters and postmistresses were wrongly accused of theft, fraud and false accounting due to a defective IT system.

Mr Bates vs The Post Office received a total of six nominations, while Disney series Rivals and Apple TV’s Slow Horses also had the same amount of nods.

Ant and Dec, The Traitors and Stacey Solomon’s Sort Your Life Out are among the nominees for best entertainment performance.

The best leading actress nominees are Anna Maxwell Martin (Until I Kill You), Billie Piper (Scoop), Lola Petticrew (Say Nothing), Marisa Abela (Industry), Monica Dolan (Mr Bates vs The Post Office) and Sharon D Clarke (Mr Loverman).

David Tennant (Rivals), Gary Oldman (Slow Horses), Lennie James (Mr Loverman), Martin Freeman (The Responder) and Toby Jones (Mr Bates vs The Post Office) take on Gadd for the best actor accolade.

Disney series Rivals (pictured Emily Atack who starred in the series) and Apple TV’s Slow Horses also had the same amount of nods 

The best leading actress nominees was Anna Maxwell Martin (Until I Kill You)

Soap star Danny Dyer is among the group who have received their first Bafta nomination in the best male comedy performance category for his role in Mr Bigstuff

A total of 21 out of 44 nominees in the performance categories have received their first BAFTA Television Awards nomination.

Soap star Danny Dyer is among the group who have received their first Bafta nomination in the best male comedy performance category for his role in Mr Bigstuff.

In the prestigious best drama category, crime dramas Blue Lights and Sherwood will take on superhero series Supacell and acclaimed period drama Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light.

Jane Millichip, CEO of Bafta, said: ‘2024 was a standout year for television, testified by the 134 brilliant programmes nominated by BAFTA members.

‘The power of television to drive national conversation, to tap into the stories of public interest, and to inspire societal change, is second to none. And to do this through every genre is even more impressive.

‘The drama of sport, the truth of fiction, the humanity of documentary, the poignancy of comedy, serious entertainment – this year’s nominees reflect every aspect of the human condition.

‘UK television is at the top of its game, and it is a privilege at Bafta to showcase the work of our incredibly talented nominees at the Bafta Television Craft Awards and Bafta Television Awards with P&O Cruises. Tune into BBC One and BBC iPlayer on May 11, not only to find out who wins, but to inspire your next watchlist.’ 

And the official wine sponsor of the evening, Casillero del Diablo, will once again be the drink of choice for winners, nominees, celebrities, and VIP guests alike. 

2025 TV BAFTA NOMINATIONS

Drama Series 

Blue Lights (BBC One)

Sherwood (BBC One)

Supacell (Netflix)

Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light (BBC One)

Limited Drama 

Baby Reindeer (Netflix)

Lost Boys and Fairies (BBC One)

Mr Bates vs the Post Office (ITV1)

One Day (Netflix)

International 

After The Party (Channel 4)

Colin From Accounts (BBC Two)

Say Nothing (Disney+)

Shogun (Disney+)

True Detective: Night Country (Sky Atlantic)

You Are Not Alone: Fighting The Wolfpack, Netflix

Shogun (Disney+) is up for the Best International TV Show award 

Leading Actress 

Anna Maxwell Martin, Until I Kill You (ITV1)

Billie Piper, Scoop (Netflix)

Lola Petticrew, Say Nothing (Disney+)

Marisa Abela, Industry (BBC One)

Monia Dolan, Mr Bates Vs The Post Office (ITV1)

Sharon D Clarke, Mr Loverman (BBC One)

Leading Actor 

David Tennant, Rivals (Disney+)

Gary Oldman, Slow Horses (Apple TV+)

Lennie James, Mr Loverman (BBC One)

Martin Freeman, The Responder (BBC One)

Richard Gadd, Baby Reindeer (Netflix)

Toby Jones, Mr Bates Vs The Post Office (ITV1)

Female Performance in a Comedy 

Anjana Vasan, We Are Lady Parts (Channel 4)

Kate O’Flynn, Everyone Else Burns Channel 4)

Lolly Adefope, The Franchise (Sky Comedy)

Nicola Coughlan, Big Mood (Channel 4)

Ruth Jones, Gavin & Stacey (BBC One)

Sophie Willan, Alma’s Not Normal (BBC Two) 

David Tennant is up for the Leading Actor award for his role in Rivals

Scripted Comedy 

Alma’s Not Normal (BBC Two)

Brassic (Sky Max)

G’Wed (ITV1)

Ludwig (BBC One)

Specialist Factual 

Atomic People (BBC Two)

Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story (National Geographic)

Children of the Cult (ITV1)

Miners’ Strike 1984: The Battle For Britain (Channel 4)

Reality  

Dragons’ Den (BBC One)

The Jury: Murder Trial (Channel 4)

Love Is Blind (Channel 4)

The Traitors (BBC One)

Current Affairs 

Storyville: Life and Death in Gaza (BBC)

Maternity: Broken Trust (ITV1)

State of Rage (Channel 4)

Ukraine’s War: The Other Side (ITV1)

Shortform

Brown Brit (Channel 4)

Peaked (Channel 4)

Quiet Life (BBC Three)

Spud (BBC Three)

BBC’s Race Across The World is nominated is Factual Entertainment

Factual Entertainment 

In Vogue: The 90s (Vogue Studios, Disney+)

Race Across The World (BBC One)

Rob and Rylan’s Grand Tour (BBC Two)

Sort Your Life Out (BBC One)

Children’s Scripted 

CBeebies As You Like It at Shakespeare’s Globe (CBeebies)

Horrible Histories (CBBC)

Ready Eddie Go! (Sky Kids)Tweedy & Fluff (Channel 5)  

P&O Cruises Memorable Moment

Bridgerton: The carriage scene, where Colin admits his true feelings for Penelope (Netflix)

Gavin & Stacey: The Finale: Smithy’s wedding, when Mick stands up (BBC One)

Mr Bates Vs The Post Office: Jo Hamilton phones the Horizon helpline (ITV1)

Rivals: Rupert Campbell-Black and Sarah Stratton are caught in a game of naked tennis (Disney+)

Strictly Come Dancing: Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell waltz to You’ll Never Walk Alone (BBC One)

Traitors: “Paul isn’t my son … but Ross is!” (BBC One)

Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell’s Strictly waltz are up for P&O Cruises Memorable Moment

Male Performance in a Comedy Performance 

Bilal Hasna, Extraordinary (Disney+)

Danny Dyer, Mr Big Stuff (Sky Comedy)

Dylan Thomas-Smith, G’wed (ITV2)

Nabhaan Rizwan, Kaos (Netflix)

Oliver Savell, Changing Ends (ITV1)

Phil Dunning, Smoggie Queens (BBC Three)

Danny Dyer is up for Male Performance in a Comedy Performance for Mr Big Stuff

Supporting Actor

Ariyon Bakare, Mr Loverman (BBC One)

Christopher Chung, Slow Horses (Apple TV+)

Damian Lewis, Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light (BBC One)

Jonathan Pryce, Slow Horses (Apple TV+)

McKinley Belcher III, Eric (Netflix)

Sonny Walker, The Gathering (Channel 4) 

Supporting Actress 

Jessica Gunning, Baby Reindeer (Netflix)

Katherine Parkinson, Rivals (Disney+)

Maxine Peake, Say Nothing (Disney+)

Monica Dolan, Sherwood (BBC One)

Nava Mau, Baby Reindeer (Netflix)

Sue Johnston, Truelove (Channel)

The 1% Club is up for Best Entertainment Show

Entertainment 

The 1% Club (ITV1)

Michael McIntyre’s Big Show (BBC One)

Taskmaster (Channel 4)

Would I Lie To You? (BBC One)

Entertainment Performance

Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly, Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway (ITV1)

Claudia Winkleman, The Traitors (BBC One)

Graham Norton, The Graham Norton Show (BBC One)

Joe Lycett, Late Night Lycett (Channel 4)

Romesh Ranganathan and Rob Beckett, Rob & Romesh Vs (Sky Max)

Stacey Solomon, Sort Your Life Out (BBC One) 

Factual Series 

American Nightmare (Netflix)

Freddie Flintoff’s Field of Dreams on Tour (BBC One)

The Push: Murder on the Cliff (Channel 4)

To Catch a Copper (Channel 4)

Stacey Solomon is up for Entertainment Performance for Sort Your Life Out

Live Event Coverage 

D-Day 80: Tribute To The Fallen (BBC One)

Glastonbury 2024 (BBC Two)

Last Night of The Proms (BBC Two)

News Coverage 

BBC Breakfast: Post Office Special (BBC One)

Channel 4 News: Inside Sednaya (Channel 4)

Channel 4 News: Undercover Inside Reform’s Campaign (Channel 4)

Single Documentary 

Hell Jumper (BBC Two)

Tell Them You Love Me (Sky Documentaries)

Ukraine: Enemy In The Woods (BBC Two)

Undercover: Exposing The Far Right (Channel 4)

Soap 

Casualty (BBC One)

Coronation Street (ITV1)

EastEnders (BBC One)

Sport 

Euro 2024 (BBC Sport)

Paris 2024 Olympics (BBC Sport)

Wimbledon (BBC Sport)

Loose Women is up for Best Daytime Show

Daytime 

Clive Myrie’s Caribbean Adventure (BBC Two)

Loose Women (ITV1)

Morning Live (BBC One)

Richard Osman’s House of Games (BBC Two)

Children’s Non Scripted 

BoosNoo! (Sky Kids)

FYI Investigates: Disability and Me (Sky Kids)

Operation Ouch! (CBBC)

Reu and Harper’s Wonder World (Channel 5)