Bernard Cribbins omitted by Bafta in memoriam tribute

Bernard Cribbins was forgotten by Bafta in its memorial tribute during the 2023 film awards ceremony.

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts then caused further offence by making an excuse for leaving the star of The Railway Children and Carry On films out of its video montage in memory of those in the film industry who had died in the past year.

Bafta tweeted: "With limited time in our broadcast it isn’t possible to honour all those who have sadly passed away. Bernard features in our online records and given his influential work in TV, he will be considered for inclusion in the next Television Awards broadcast."

Read more: Baftas 2023: Full list of winners as All Quiet on the Western Front dominates

Cribbins died in July 2022 at the age of 93.

Bafta has now told Yahoo UK: "We can confirm Bernard Cribbins will be remembered in our upcoming BAFTA Television Awards ceremony broadcast in May."

He was famous for providing narration for The Wombles, as well as playing Wilfred Mott — grandfather of Catherine Tate's character — during the David Tennant era of Doctor Who.

But he was also remembered by many for starring on the big screen opposite Jenny Agutter as station master Albert Perks in family classic The Railway Children in 1970.

He starred in several of the Carry On films and other notable film roles included prison comedy Two-Way Stretch, Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy and a minor part in David Niven's 1967 James Bond spoof Casino Royale.

Bafta defended its decision to omit Cribbins from the memorial in a response to a tweet by viewer Victoria Powell who wrote: "Was rather astonished to not see Bernard Cribbins being honoured. A national treasure held dear by the majority of the nation! Limited time isn't a justified response, I'm sorry."

This only prompted further upset from fans.

One tweeted: "Very poor decision, BAFTA. Literally not reading the room. Bernard Cribbins was & is an icon of the small & big screens, his appeal spanning generations. Unpardonable of you to have left him out of the visual tributes last night, would’ve taken seconds to have included him."

Another pointed out: "Dunkirk, The Wrong side of the Law, Two-way stretch, The Daleks Invasion, Carry on franchise, Casino Royale and The Railway Children were all films he was in. Plus more. As much a film actor as a TV one."

And another observed: "I really don't think "considered" is the right attitude here. He absolutely should be in your Television Award's Broadcast. His utterly stunning monologues showcased his absolute talent & he didn't hold it back in kids dramas. Top actor - I had tears over sailor sue."

It is not the first time Bafta has snubbed a late star by forgetting to include them in its memorial tributes.

In 2015 it forgot both Bob Hoskins and Rik Mayall at the film awards. Again its defense was that it remembered Hoskins at the TV awards ceremony instead.

Read more: Doctor Who's David Tennant and Catherine Tate pay tribute to Bernard Cribbins

And in 2019 Chuckle Brothers star Barry Chuckle was left out of the memorial reel at the TV Baftas.

Watch: All Quiet On The Western Front broke a Baftas record at the 2023 film awards