The 76th BAFTA Awards are officially in full swing, with Richard E Grant and Alison Hammond at the helm of the very swanky ceremony.
With Richard hosting the awards show and Alison interviewing winners backstage, the duo got the event off to a brilliant start.
But Richard couldn’t help but make a sly jibe in his opening speech, which slammed and referenced Will Smith’s Oscars slap.
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Referencing the moment when Will slapped host Chris Rock in 2022, Richard, 65, said: “On my watch no one gets slapped tonight.”
(Image: Getty Images for BAFTA)
This came after Will burst onto the stage mid-way through the 94th annual Academy Awards last March.
Fuming after Chris has made a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith, Will slapped the comedian, leaving the world taken aback.
After his sly jibe and reference to last year’s Oscars, Richard added that the only slaps being received would be those “on the back”.
(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
In full, Richard said: “In 2022, movie audiences were well and truly back and there has never been a better time to go to the cinema until right now.
“Well, not right now, I’m trying my best and nobody on my watch gets slapped tonight… except on the back.”
Richard is best-known for his film debut in the hit movie Withnail and I, with the actor also starring in The Little Vampire, Loki and Game Of Thrones.
(Image: BBC)
This comes as stars from all over the world gathered in central London for the glitzy and celebratory affair.
The likes of the Prince and Princess of Wales were in attendance at the Royal Festival Hall, among stars from stage and screen.
Taking to the red carpet, the stars showed off their finery before cheering the nominees and winners stole the limelight for the ceremony.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
