Bafta Awards 2022: Richard Ayoade takes aim at Will Smith's Oscars slap

Richard Ayoade has become the latest awards show host to take a swipe at Will Smith’s Oscars slap.

In case you’ve been avoiding social media for the past month, the Men in Black actor shocked the world last month when he slapped comedian Chris Rock at the Academy Awards, following a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett-Smith.

Taking to the stage to open the 2022 Baftas with a savage monologue, Richard wasn’t afraid to make reference to what became one of the most controversial moments in Oscars history.

With the ceremony celebrating its 75th year, he said: ‘In 1955 there were only six categories, there was barely enough time to get up from your seat and slap someone before the whole ceremony would be over.’

The audience erupted into laughter following the cheeky quip, before Richard went on to roast the nominees and even mock himself.

‘But do not worry your overly-filmed heads, I’m not going to use your faces as punchlines or punchbags – you’ve suffered enough. No one works harder than us, apart from people in other professions,’ he said.

‘I’m putting in a couple of house today, I’m exhausted,’ Richard added.

Following a scathing yet hilarious opening speech, Richard handed over to Olivi Colman, who presented the first award of the night to Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly for Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway.

The Geordie duo won the trophy for their 2021 series of the hit entertainment show, which was filmed without a studio audience due to Covid-19 restrictions.

Ant and Dec accepted their Bafta with grace and excitement, with awards for Channel 4’s Help, Gogglebox, The Chase, Time, and Coronation Street following.

As for Fresh Prince star Will, he’s been keeping a relatively low profile following Slap Gate, but was banned from Academy events for 10 years.

He apologised for the outburst, in which he yelled at Chris to ‘keep my wife’s name out your f***ing mouth’, following a jibe about her short hair, since Jada has alopecia.

‘I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be,’ he said.

‘There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness…I am a work in progress.’

Bafta TV Awards 2022 winners

Entertainment Award: Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway

Leading Female Performance : Jodie Comer

Leading Male Performance: Sean Bean

Supporting Actress: Kathy Tyson, Help

Supporting Actor: Matthew MacFadyen

Reality and Constructed Factual: Gogglebox

Female performance in comedy programme: Sophie Willan 

Male Comedy Performance: Jamie Demetriou 

News Coverage: ITV News at 10, Storming of The Capitol

Specialist Factual: The Missing Children

Daytime: The Chase 

Sports programme: The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Single Documentary: My Child My Country

Current Affairs: Fearless: The Women fighting Putin

Single Drama: Together

Short-form programme: Our Land

Live Event: The Earthshot Prize 2021

Features: Big Zuu’s Big Eats

Scripted Comedy: Motherland 

Mini-Series: Time

Factual Series: Uprising

Continuing Drama or Soap: Coronation Street 

Entertainment Performance: Big Zuu

Must See moment: Rose Ayling-Ellis and Giovanni Pernice’s silent dance

Comedy entertainment programme: The Lateish Show with Mo Gilligan

Drama Series: In My Skin

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