BAFTA Awards 2012: stars of Fred West drama Appropriate Adult are the big winners

Dominic West and Emily Watson were among the big winners at the TV BAFTA Awards, winning for their powerful performances in Fred West drama Appropriate Adult.

Coronation Street has won the best soap and continuing drama award, beating last year’s winner EastEnders.

Andrew Scott won the best supporting actor for Sherlock, in which he plays Sherlock’s arch nemesis Moriarty.

In winning the award he beat co-star Martin Freeman, who won it last year.

Speaking before the ceremony, Benedict Cumberbatch – who plays Sherlock Holmes in the BBC series – said he was “keeping his fingers crossed for both Andrew and Martin”, but added: “I hope Andrew gets to share the glory that Martin had last year.”

Benedict Cumberbatch missed out in the best actor category to Dominic West, who played serial killer Fred West in the ITV drama.

Emily Watson, who collected best actress, played the volunteer companion to Fred West Janet Leach.

She said: “It was such a disturbing place to go. In my speech I was very overwhelmed I forgot to thank Janet Leach, she gave very generously to us.

“The public perception of the West case is a tabloid-driven view and then I read the script and it was a very intelligent piece full of integrity.

“It’s a deep abyss right in the middle of our society.”

Collecting his award, Dominic West said: “I hope she has had some closure and we have honored the suffering she endured and the suffering of all the West’s victims, living and dead.”

Appropriate Adult also saw Monica Dolan win best supporting actress for her portrayal of Rosemary West.

But it lost out in the best mini-series category to This is England ’88, written by Shane Meadows.

During the event both artist and presenter Rolf Harris and Doctor Who writer Steven Moffat received special awards.

Rolf Harris was presented with a BAFTA fellowship recognizing his “outstanding and exceptional contribution to television”.

He said: “It’s unbelievable for a start, it’s very humbling and thrilling. I can’t tell you how exciting it was when they asked if I would accept the award.”

Receiving his award, Steven Moffat said he owed a great deal to “the two best things the British have ever given to the world: Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Who”.

Speaking backstage Steven Moffat, who is head writer on Doctor Who and co-creator of Sherlock, also said he was delighted Andrew Scott had won the best supporting actor award.

“In the first series he was only Moriarty in the last scene, and he became a star from the last scene. It takes an extraordinary powerful actor to do that.”

The Great British Bake Off, which pits amateur cooks against each other, won the best feature category.

Presenter Mel Giedroyc said backstage: “We never realized there could be such drama in a quiche. It’s a gentle show – it’s not about trauma and backstories.”

New category reality and constructed factual was won by The Young Apprentice.

The best entertainment show went to Graham Norton for The Graham Norton Show. He was unable to collect the award himself as he was travelling back from Azerbaijan after presenting the Eurovision Song Contest.

The comedy performance awards went to Jennifer Saunders for Absolutely Fabulous, and Darren Boyd for Spy.

The International category was won by Danish political drama Borgen, shown on BBC Four, which beat Danish police drama The Killing, US comedy Modern Family and Australian drama The Slap.

And viewers voted for the audience award category which was won by Celebrity Juice.