Lorraine Kelly BAFTA Award: 40 Years In The Business!


Hannah McLaren ©

Popular television presenter Lorraine Kelly has just received a BAFTA Television Special Award honouring her four decade long career in television

Last night’s BAFTAs was extra special for telly star Lorraine Kelly. Fellow Scot, friend and actor Brian Cox presented her with a special honoury award, which she very humbly accepted.

“I suppose if I’ve learned anything at all over the past 40 years, it’s what’s the point of having all that experience if you don’t actually share it, and if you don’t actually pass it on, and help other people,” she said in her speech. “So I would just say don’t pull up the ladder, please make it possible for kids like me from my background, from a very working class Glasgow background, rise the same from Dundee.

“We’ve had amazing opportunities, but I just want everyone to have those opportunities the same that we did.”

After thanking everyone in her life for their endless support over the years, the presenter joked, “I’m on the telly tomorrow but I’m going to celebrate tonight!”

Lorraine’s BAFTA winning career…

These days Lorraine’s a household name, but her career in journalism began when she was 17 as a trainee reporter on the East Kilbride News.

In 1984 she had her television debut as TV-am’s Scotland Correspondent. By 1993, Kelly was helping launch GMTV by presenting a range of programmes. Then in 1994 she was hosting her own show on ITV, which continues to be a firm favourite with daytime TV fans.

Lorraine now joins a long list of much-loved stars who have received the BAFTA Television Special Award. Previous recipients include David Olusoga, Nicola Shindler, Clare Balding, Idris Elba, John Motson, Henry Normal, Nick Fraser, Lenny Henry, Delia Smith and Cilla Black.

Once the news sunk in, Lorraine released a statement. She said, “Finding out on-air this morning was a massive surprise – what an honour to the recipient of the BAFTA Special Award.

“A huge thanks to everybody I’ve worked with on screen and behind the scenes over the years – the people who make Daytime TV are very special people.

“Now I have to go and look for a showstopping frock to wear to the Television Awards on 12th May!”

Susanna Reid, Tyler West, Dr Hilary Jones celebrate Lorraine’s BAFTA news. Credit: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock.

Lorraine Kelly was left shocked and convinced she was being pranked after a surprise announcement that she would receiving the BAFTA Television Special Award

Friend and colleague Susanna Reid made a surprise appearance yesterday on ITV’s Lorraine. She announced the award live on air to Lorraine herself, which will honour the presenter’s four decade long career.

Susanna from Good Morning Britain hijacked the show as she guided a separate camera crew from the studio wings onto the set of Lorraine. The GMB star told viewers not to worry, there wasn’t a problem with their TV signal, she just had Loraine’s “very own breaking news flash” to share.

Lorraine was completely unaware as co-presenter Tyler West distracted her with a fake report about The Traitors.

A sudden eruption of music and lights announced Susanna’s arrival as she stepped into the studio. Lorraine was completely baffled as she tried to understand what was happening – looking back and forth between her co-host Tyler, Susanna and the cameras.

Susanna sat down with the star, explaining that she had some very special news before dropping the BAFTA bomb.

Lorraine refused to believe any of this was real. She immediately exclaimed, “No? You’re kidding me. This is nuts!”

“Where’s Ant and Dec? This is a prank.”

Then it all started to click. She joked, “It can’t be a prank because it’s Susanna!”

“Exactly! A trusted news source,” Susana replied.

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Hannah McLaren

I've worked at DC Thomson for six years! I began as an intern at My Weekly and The Scots Magazine, which was extended by a few months to help out at The People's Friend. I then covered maternity as Celebrity Editor for My Weekly, before I became Multimedia Journalist at The Scots Magazine. Currently I'm writing digital content across each title.