Jewish stars Marisa Abela and Rob Rinder triumph at Bafta TV awards

The Bafta TV awards last night had a distinctly Jewish flavour as a smattering of stars descended in glamour to the Royal Festival Hall in London, and a few even took home the bronze mask trophies for their excellence in British television.

Among the night’s big winners were Marisa Abela, whose performance in BBC One and HBO’s hit series Industry earned her the gong for leading actress, and Rob Rinder for his BBC2 travel series with Rylan Clark – Rob and Rylan’s Grand Tour.

Abela, 28, scooped the award for her portrayal of the ambitious investment banker Yasmin Kara-Hanani, a role which shot her to prominence when the first season of Industry came out in 2020.

Earlier this year Abela, whose mother is an Ashkenazi Jew, was also nominated for a Bafta Rising Star Award off the back of her breakout performance as Jewish icon Amy Winehouse in the biopic film Back to Black.

Meanwhile barrister-turned-broadcaster – and JC columnist – Rinder took home the title in the factual entertainment category with along with co-host Clark. The travel show follows the pair on a journey through Venice, Florence and Rome, following in the steps of 19th century poet Lord Byron in search of cultural enlightenment.

Rylan Clark and Rob Rinder pose with their Factual Entertainment Award at the Bafta TV Awards (Image: Getty)Getty Images

Rinder and Clark, who are both gay, accepted their awards with a thanks directed to both their mums, “who gave us unconditional love and consequently the courage and safety to be our true selves.”

Another winner on the night was State of Rage, a Channel 4 documentary which follows two separate families – one Palestinian, one Israeli – living in the West Bank.

Produced by an Israeli and a Palestinian and directed by German filmmaker Marcel Mettelsiefen, the film centres on the “mechanism of anger and rage and on the impact violence has on children and the new generation on both sides,” as Mettelsiefen explained during his acceptance speech.

Finally, nominated for an award in the reality category was hit series The Traitors, hosted by Jewish broadcaster Claudia Winkleman.