British Academy Television Award for Best Entertainment Performance
# British Academy Television Award for Best Entertainment Performance

The British Academy Television Award for Best Entertainment Performance is an award given out by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts at their annual BAFTA Television Awards ceremony.

This category has had minor name changes:

* From 1958 to 1962 it was presented as an individual award named Best Light Entertainment Artist.
* From 1963 to 1965 it was awarded as Best Light Entertainment Personality
* From 1967 to 1999 it was awarded as Best Light Entertainment Performance.
* Since 2000 the award has been known as Best Entertainment Performance.

Prior to the 1994 ceremony, acting performances in comedy roles were included in this category. Since 1994 they have been recognised in the Best Comedy Performance category.

## Winners and nominees

### 1950s

| Year | Performer |
| - | - |
| 1958 |
| 1958 | Tony Hancock |
| 1959 |
| 1959 | Alan Melville |

### 1960s

| Year | Performer | Programme |
| - | - | - |
| 1960 |
| Tony Hancock ||
| 1961 |
| Stanley Baxter ||
| 1962 |
| Eric Sykes ||
| 1963 |
| Michael Bentine ||
| 1964 |
| Morecambe and Wise ||
| 1965 |
| Millicent Martin ||
| 1966 |
| 1966 | Peter Cook, Dudley Moore | Not Only... But Also |
| 1966 | John Bird | Not So Much a Programme, More a Way of Life |
| 1966 | Charlie Drake | The Worker |
| 1966 | Benny Hill | The Benny Hill Show |
| 1966 | Terry Scott | Scott on Birds; Scott on Money; Scott on Food; Hugh and I; Christmas Night with the Stars |
| 1967 |
| Alan Bennett ||
| 1968 |
| Alan Bennett ||
| 1969 |
| 1969 | Marty Feldman | Marty |

### 1970s

| Year | Performer | Programme |
| - | - | - |
| 1970 |
| 1970 | Eric Morecambe & Ernie Wise | The Morecambe and Wise Show |
| 1970 | Ronnie Barker | Hark at Barker |
| 1970 | John Cleese | Monty Python's Flying Circus |
| 1970 | Spike Milligan | The World of Beachcomber; Q.5; Curry and Chips |
| 1971 |
| 1971 | Eric Morecambe & Ernie Wise | The Morecambe and Wise Show |
| 1971 | John Cleese | Monty Python's Flying Circus |
| 1971 | Ronnie Corbett | Frost Show; No – That's Me Over Here! |
| 1971 | Frankie Howerd | Up Pompeii! |
| 1971 | Arthur Lowe | Dad's Army |
| 1972 |
| 1972 | Ronnie Barker & Ronnie Corbett | The Two Ronnies |
| 1972 | Dick Emery | The Dick Emery Show |
| 1972 | Benny Hill | The Benny Hill Show |
| 1973 |
| 1973 | Eric Morecambe & Ernie Wise | The Morecambe and Wise Show |
| 1973 | Arthur Lowe | Dad's Army |
| 1973 | Monty Python Team | Monty Python's Flying Circus |
| 1974 |
| 1974 | Eric Morecambe & Ernie Wise | The Morecambe and Wise Show |
| 1974 | Dave Allen | Dave Allen At Large |
| 1974 | Stanley Baxter | The Stanley Baxter Big Picture Show |
| 1974 | Ronnie Barker & Ronnie Corbett | The Two Ronnies |
| 1975 |
| 1975 | Stanley Baxter | The Moving Picture Show |
| 1975 | Ronnie Barker | Porridge |
| 1975 | Michael Crawford | Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em |
| 1975 | Arthur Lowe | Dad's Army |
| 1976 |
| 1976 | Ronnie Barker | Porridge |
| 1976 | Ronnie Barker & Ronnie Corbett | The Two Ronnies |
| 1976 | Stanley Baxter | The Stanley Picture Show Part III |
| 1976 | John Cleese | Fawlty Towers |
| 1977 |
| 1977 | Penelope Keith | The Good Life |
| 1977 | Ronnie Barker | Open All Hours; The Two Ronnies |
| 1977 | Richard Briers | The Good Life; One-Upmanship |
| 1977 | Leonard Rossiter | The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin |
| 1978 |
| 1978 | Ronnie Barker | Porridge & The Two Ronnies |
| 1978 | Penelope Keith | The Good Life; The Morecambe and Wise Christmas Show |
| 1978 | Arthur Lowe | Dad's Army |
| 1978 | Leonard Rossiter | The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin; Rising Damp |
| 1979 |
| 1979 | Ronnie Barker | Going Straight & The Two Ronnies |
| 1979 | Leonard Rossiter | The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin; The Losers; Rising Damp |
| 1979 | Donald Sinden | Two's Company |
| 1979 | Elaine Stritch | Two's Company |

### 1980s

| Year | Performer | Programme |
| - | - | - |
| 1980 |
| 1980 | John Cleese | Fawlty Towers |
| 1980 | Ronnie Barker | The Two Ronnies |
| 1980 | Penelope Keith | To The Manor Born |
| 1980 | Andrew Sachs | Fawlty Towers |
| 1981 |
| 1981 | Rowan Atkinson | Not the Nine O'Clock News |
| 1981 | Barry Humphries | An Audience with Dame Edna Everage |
| 1981 | Maureen Lipman | Agony |
| 1981 | Pamela Stephenson | Not the Nine O'Clock News |
| 1982 |
| 1982 | Nigel Hawthorne | Yes, Minister |
| 1982 | Dave Allen | The Dave Allen Show |
| 1982 | Paul Eddington | Yes, Minister |
| 1982 | Stanley Baxter | The Stanley Baxter Series |
| 1983 |
| 1983 | Nigel Hawthorne | Yes, Minister |
| 1983 | Rowan Atkinson | Not the Nine O'Clock News |
| 1983 | Judi Dench | A Fine Romance |
| 1983 | Paul Eddington | Yes, Minister & Let There Be Love |
| 1984 |
| 1984 | Tracey Ullman | Three of a Kind |
| 1984 | Ronnie Barker & Ronnie Corbett | The Two Ronnies |
| 1984 | Judi Dench | A Fine Romance |
| 1984 | Jasper Carrot | Carrot's Lib |
| 1985 |
| 1985 | Judi Dench | A Fine Romance |
| 1985 | Lenny Henry | The Lenny Henry Show |
| 1985 | Julia McKenzie | Fresh Fields |
| 1985 | Ruth Madoc | Hi de Hi |
| 1985 | Paul Nicholas | Just Good Friends |
| 1986 |
| 1986 | Victoria Wood | Victoria Wood As Seen On TV |
| 1986 | Ronnie Barker | Open All Hours & The Two Ronnies |
| 1986 | David Jason | Only Fools and Horses |
| 1986 | Gorden Kaye | 'Allo 'Allo! |
| 1987 |
| 1987 | Nigel Hawthorne | Yes, Prime Minister |
| 1987 | David Jason | Only Fools and Horses |
| 1987 | Nicholas Lyndhurst | Only Fools and Horses |
| 1987 | Paul Eddington | Yes, Prime Minister |
| 1987 | Julie Walters | Victoria Wood As Seen On TV |
| 1987 | Victoria Wood | Victoria Wood As Seen On TV |
| 1988 |
| 1988 | Nigel Hawthorne | Yes, Prime Minister |
| 1988 | Rowan Atkinson | Blackadder the Third |
| 1988 | Paul Eddington | Yes, Prime Minister |
| 1988 | Barry Humphries | The Dame Edna Experience |
| 1989 |
| 1989 | Victoria Wood | An Audience with Victoria Wood |
| 1989 | Dawn French | French and Saunders |
| 1989 | Barry Humphries | One More Audience with Dame Edna |
| 1989 | David Jason | Only Fools and Horses |

### 1990s

| Year | Performer | Programme | Network |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1990 |
| 1990 | Rowan Atkinson | Blackadder Goes Forth | BBC One |
| 1990 | Barry Humphries | The Dame Edna Experience | ITV |
| 1990 | David Jason | Only Fools and Horses | BBC One |
| 1990 | Victoria Wood | Victoria Wood | BBC One |
| 1991 |
| 1991 | David Jason | Only Fools and Horses | BBC One |
| 1991 | Rowan Atkinson | The Return of Mr. Bean | ITV |
| 1991 | Dawn French | French and Saunders | BBC Two |
| 1991 | Nicholas Lyndhurst | Only Fools and Horses | BBC One |
| 1992 |
| 1992 | Richard Wilson | One Foot in the Grave | BBC One |
| 1992 | Rowan Atkinson | The Curse of Mr. Bean | ITV |
| 1992 | Haydn Gwynne | Drop the Dead Donkey | Channel 4 |
| 1992 | Patricia Routledge | Keeping Up Appearances | BBC One |
| 1993 |
| 1993 | Joanna Lumley | Absolutely Fabulous | BBC One |
| 1993 | Patricia Routledge | Keeping Up Appearances | BBC One |
| 1993 | Richard Wilson | One Foot in the Grave | BBC One |
| 1993 | Jennifer Saunders | Absolutely Fabulous | BBC One |
| 1994 |
| 1994 | Richard Wilson | One Foot in the Grave; One Foot in the Algarve | BBC One |
| 1994 | Rowan Atkinson | Mr. Bean | ITV |
| 1994 | Rory Bremner | Rory Bremner...Who Else? | Channel 4 |
| 1994 | Annette Crosbie | One Foot in the Grave | BBC One |
| 1994 | Paul Merton | Have I Got News for You | BBC Two |
| 1995 |
| 1995 | Rory Bremner | Rory Bremner...Who Else? | Channel 4 |
| 1995 | Michael Barrymore | Barrymore | ITV |
| 1995 | Steve Coogan | Knowing Me, Knowing You... with Alan Partridge | BBC Two |
| 1995 | Victoria Wood | Victoria Wood: Live in Your Own Home | BBC One |
| 1996 (42nd) |
| 1996 (42nd) | Rory Bremner | Rory Bremner...Who Else? | Channel 4 |
| 1996 (42nd) | Caroline Aherne | The Mrs. Merton Show | BBC One |
| 1996 (42nd) | Paul Merton | Have I Got News for You | BBC Two |
| 1996 (42nd) | Peter Ustinov | An Evening with Peter Ustinov | ITV |
| 1997 (43rd) |
| 1997 (43rd) | John Bird & John Fortune | Rory Bremner...Who Else?/The Long John's | Channel 4 |
| 1997 (43rd) | Caroline Aherne | The Mrs. Merton Christmas Show | BBC One |
| 1997 (43rd) | Paul Merton | Have I Got News for You | BBC Two |
| 1997 (43rd) | Rory Bremner | Rory Bremner... Who Else? | Channel 4 |
| 1998 (44th) |
| 1998 (44th) | Paul Whitehouse | The Fast Show | BBC Two |
| 1998 (44th) | Kathy Burke | Harry Enfield & Chums | BBC One |
| 1998 (44th) | Harry Enfield | Harry Enfield & Chums | BBC One |
| 1998 (44th) | Paul Merton | Have I Got News for You | BBC Two |
| 1999 (45th) |
| 1999 (45th) | Michael Parkinson | Parkinson | BBC One |
| 1999 (45th) | John Bird & John Fortune | Rory Bremner... Who Else? | Channel 4 |
| 1999 (45th) | Kathy Burke | Harry Enfield's Yule Log Chums | BBC One |
| 1999 (45th) | Billy Connolly | 30 Years of Billy Connolly | BBC One |

### 2000s

| Year | Performer | Programme | Network |
| - | - | - | - |
| 2000 (46th) |
| 2000 (46th) | Graham Norton | So Graham Norton | Channel 4 |
| 2000 (46th) | John Bird & John Fortune | Bremner, Bird and Fortune | Channel 4 |
| 2000 (46th) | Sacha Baron Cohen | The 11 O'Clock Show | Channel 4 |
| 2000 (46th) | Michael Parkinson | Parkinson | BBC One |
| 2001 (47th) |
| 2001 (47th) | Graham Norton | So Graham Norton | Channel 4 |
| 2001 (47th) | Angus Deayton | Have I Got News for You | BBC One |
| 2001 (47th) | Paul Merton | Have I Got News for You | BBC One |
| 2001 (47th) | Rory Bremner | Blair Did It All Go Wrong? | Channel 4 |
| 2002 (48th) |
| 2002 (48th) | Graham Norton | So Graham Norton | Channel 4 |
| 2002 (48th) | Anthony McPartlin & Declan Donnelly | Pop Idol | ITV |
| 2002 (48th) | Paul Merton | Have I Got News for You | BBC One |
| 2002 (48th) | John Bird & John Fortune | Bremner, Bird and Fortune | Channel 4 |
| 2003 (49th) |
| 2003 (49th) | Paul Merton | Have I Got News for You | BBC One |
| 2003 (49th) | Sanjeev Bhaskar | The Kumars at No. 42 | BBC Two |
| 2003 (49th) | Meera Syal | The Kumars at No. 42 | BBC Two |
| 2003 (49th) | Angus Deayton | Have I Got News for You | BBC One |
| 2004 (50th) |
| 2004 (50th) | Jonathan Ross | Friday Night with Jonathan Ross | BBC One |
| 2004 (50th) | Stephen Fry | QI | BBC Four/BBC Two |
| 2004 (50th) | Boris Johnson | Have I Got News for You | BBC One |
| 2004 (50th) | Paul Merton | Have I Got News for You | BBC One |
| 2005 (51st) |
| 2005 (51st) | Paul O'Grady | The Paul O'Grady Show | ITV |
| 2005 (51st) | Stephen Fry | QI | BBC Four/BBC Two |
| 2005 (51st) | Anthony McPartlin & Declan Donnelly | I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! | ITV |
| 2005 (51st) | Paul Merton | Have I Got News for You | BBC One |
| 2006 (52nd) |
| 2006 (52nd) | Jonathan Ross | Friday Night with Jonathan Ross | BBC One |
| 2006 (52nd) | Jeremy Clarkson | Top Gear | BBC Two |
| 2006 (52nd) | Jack Dee | Jack Dee Live at the Apollo | BBC One |
| 2006 (52nd) | Noel Edmonds | Deal or No Deal | Channel 4 |
| 2007 (53rd) |
| 2007 (53rd) | Jonathan Ross | Friday Night with Jonathan Ross | BBC One |
| 2007 (53rd) | Anthony McPartlin & Declan Donnelly | Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway | ITV |
| 2007 (53rd) | Stephen Fry | QI | BBC Four/BBC Two |
| 2007 (53rd) | Paul Merton | Have I Got News for You | BBC One |
| 2008 (54th) |
| 2008 (54th) | Harry Hill | Harry Hill's TV Burp | ITV |
| 2008 (54th) | Simon Amstell | Never Mind the Buzzcocks | BBC One |
| 2008 (54th) | Alan Carr & Justin Lee Collins | The Friday Night Project | Channel 4 |
| 2008 (54th) | Stephen Fry | QI | BBC Two |
| 2009 (55th) |
| 2009 (55th) | Harry Hill | Harry Hill's TV Burp | ITV |
| 2009 (55th) | Stephen Fry | QI | BBC One/BBC Two |
| 2009 (55th) | Anthony McPartlin & Declan Donnelly | I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! | ITV |
| 2009 (55th) | Jonathan Ross | Friday Night with Jonathan Ross | BBC One |

### 2010s

| Year | Performer | Programme | Network |
| - | - | - | - |
| 2010 (56th) |
| 2010 (56th) | Anthony McPartlin & Declan Donnelly | I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! | ITV1 |
| 2010 (56th) | Stephen Fry | QI | BBC Two/BBC One |
| 2010 (56th) | Harry Hill | Harry Hill's TV Burp | ITV1 |
| 2010 (56th) | Michael McIntyre | Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow | BBC One |
| 2011 (57th) |
| 2011 (57th) | Graham Norton | The Graham Norton Show | BBC One |
| 2011 (57th) | Rob Brydon | The Rob Brydon Show | BBC Two |
| 2011 (57th) | Stephen Fry | QI | BBC Two |
| 2011 (57th) | Harry Hill | Harry Hill's TV Burp | ITV1 |
| 2012 (58th) |
| 2012 (58th) | Graham Norton | The Graham Norton Show | BBC One |
| 2012 (58th) | Alan Carr | Alan Carr: Chatty Man | Channel 4 |
| 2012 (58th) | Harry Hill | Harry Hill's TV Burp | ITV1 |
| 2012 (58th) | Dara Ó Briain | Mock the Week | BBC Two |
| 2013 (59th) |
| 2013 (59th) | Alan Carr | Alan Carr: Chatty Man | Channel 4 |
| 2013 (59th) | Anthony McPartlin & Declan Donnelly | I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! | ITV |
| 2013 (59th) | Sarah Millican | The Sarah Millican Television Programme | BBC Two |
| 2013 (59th) | Graham Norton | The Graham Norton Show | BBC One |
| 2014 (60th) |
| 2014 (60th) | Anthony McPartlin & Declan Donnelly | Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway | ITV |
| 2014 (60th) | Charlie Brooker | 10 O'Clock Live | Channel 4 |
| 2014 (60th) | Sarah Millican | The Sarah Millican Television Programme | BBC Two |
| 2014 (60th) | Graham Norton | The Graham Norton Show | BBC One |
| 2015 (61st) |
| 2015 (61st) | Anthony McPartlin & Declan Donnelly | Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway | ITV |
| 2015 (61st) | Leigh Francis | Celebrity Juice | ITV2 |
| 2015 (61st) | Graham Norton | The Graham Norton Show | BBC One |
| 2015 (61st) | Claudia Winkleman | Strictly Come Dancing | BBC One |
| 2016 (62nd) |
| 2016 (62nd) | Leigh Francis | Celebrity Juice | ITV2 |
| 2016 (62nd) | Stephen Fry | QI | BBC Two |
| 2016 (62nd) | Graham Norton | The Graham Norton Show | BBC One |
| 2016 (62nd) | Romesh Ranganathan | Asian Provocateur | BBC Three |
| 2017 (63rd) |
| 2017 (63rd) | Michael McIntyre | Michael McIntyre's Big Show | BBC One |
| 2017 (63rd) | Adam Hills | The Last Leg | Channel 4 |
| 2017 (63rd) | Graham Norton | The Graham Norton Show | BBC One |
| 2017 (63rd) | Claudia Winkleman | Strictly Come Dancing | BBC One |
| 2018 (64th) |
| 2018 (64th) | Graham Norton | The Graham Norton Show | BBC One |
| 2018 (64th) | Adam Hills | The Last Leg | Channel 4 |
| 2018 (64th) | Michael McIntyre | Michael McIntyre's Big Show | BBC One |
| 2018 (64th) | Sandi Toksvig | QI | BBC Two |
| 2019 (65th) |
| 2019 (65th) | Lee Mack | Would I Lie To You? | BBC One |
| 2019 (65th) | Anthony McPartlin & Declan Donnelly | Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway | ITV |
| 2019 (65th) | David Mitchell | Would I Lie To You? | BBC One |
| 2019 (65th) | Rachel Parris | The Mash Report | BBC Two |

### 2020s

| Year | Performer | Programme | Network |
| - | - | - | - |
| 2020 (66th) |
| 2020 (66th) | Mo Gilligan | The Lateish Show with Mo Gilligan | Channel 4 |
| 2020 (66th) | Frankie Boyle | Frankie Boyle's New World Order | BBC Two |
| 2020 (66th) | Lee Mack | Would I Lie To You? | BBC One |
| 2020 (66th) | Graham Norton | The Graham Norton Show | BBC One |
| 2021 (67th) |
| 2021 (67th) | Romesh Ranganathan | The Ranganation | BBC Two |
| 2021 (67th) | Adam Hills | The Last Leg | Channel 4 |
| 2021 (67th) | Bradley Walsh | Beat the Chasers | ITV |
| 2021 (67th) | Claudia Winkleman | Strictly Come Dancing | BBC One |
| 2021 (67th) | David Mitchell | Would I Lie to You? at Christmas | BBC One |
| 2021 (67th) | Graham Norton | The Graham Norton Show | BBC One |
| 2022 (68th) |
| 2022 (68th) | Big Zuu | Big Zuu's Big Eats | Dave |
| 2022 (68th) | Alison Hammond | I Can See Your Voice | BBC One |
| 2022 (68th) | Michael McIntyre | Michael McIntyre's The Wheel | BBC One |
| 2022 (68th) | Graham Norton | The Graham Norton Show | BBC One |
| 2022 (68th) | Joe Lycett | Joe Lycett's Got Your Back | Channel 4 |
| 2022 (68th) | Sean Lock | 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown | Channel 4 |
| 2023 (69th) |
| 2023 (69th) | Claudia Winkleman | The Traitors | BBC One |
| 2023 (69th) | Lee Mack | The 1% Club | ITV |
| 2023 (69th) | Mo Gilligan | The Lateish Show with Mo Gilligan | Channel 4 |
| 2023 (69th) | Rosie Jones | Rosie Jones' Trip Hazard | Channel 4 |
| 2023 (69th) | Big Zuu | Big Zuu's Big Eats | Dave |
| 2023 (69th) | Sue Perkins | Sue Perkins: Perfectly Legal | Netflix |

## Performers with multiple wins and nominations

### Multiple wins

The following people have been awarded the British Academy Television Award for Best Entertainment Performance multiple times:

### Multiple nominations

The following people have been nominated for the British Academy Television Award for Best Entertainment Performance multiple times:

