BAFTA removes special prize at 2021 TV Awards after Noel Clarke controversy

The British Academy for Film and TV Arts (BAFTA) has scrapped the special prizes at its TV awards this year following the controversy surrounding its decision to hand Noel Clarke a similar award in April.

According to Deadline, the main TV awards will occur on June 6, yet there will be no Fellowship prize or Special Award, which was won a year ago by Idris Elba. BAFTA told individuals that it has "temporarily paused" awards within its gift as it reviews procedures.

It follows BAFTA experiencing harsh criticism for pressing ahead with Clarke's Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema Award recently, in spite of the charity being presented with allegations of sexual conduct made against the 'Bulletproof' and 'Doctor Who' star. Clarke vehemently denies wrongdoing.

The association eventually presumed that it would have been "improper" to halt the award "based on the extremely limited information that we had where the ultimate sources were unknown."