This is a list of the British Academy Television Awards for Best Actress. The British Academy Television Awards began in 1955. The Best Actress award was initially given as an "individual honour", without credit to a particular performance, until 1969, when Wendy Craig won for her performance in Not in Front of the Children. Since 1970, nominees have been announced in addition to the winner, and are listed, with the winner highlighted in blue. The Actress category was split into Leading Actress and Supporting Actress, starting in 2010.
Julie Walters holds the record of most wins in this category with four, followed by Judi Dench, Thora Hird, and Helen Mirren, with three wins each. The nominations tally includes Helen Mirren and Francesca Annis having received 6 and Judi Dench and Julie Walters having received 7. The award is currently held by Narges Rashidi who won in 2026 for Prisoner 951.
Winners and nominees
1950s Year Actor Project Role(s) 1955 (1st) Googie Withers 1956 (2nd) Virginia McKenna 1957 (3rd) Rosalie Crutchley 1958 (4th) Not awarded 1959 (5th) Gwen Watford
1960s Year Actor Project Role(s) 1960 (6th) Catherine Lacey 1961 (7th) Billie Whitelaw 1962 (8th) Ruth Dunning 1963 (9th) Brenda Bruce 1964 (10th) Vivien Merchant 1965 (11th) Katherine Blake 1966 (12th) Gwen Watford The Cesar Birotteau/Madam/End Of Term/Take Care Of Madam/The Rules Of The Game Peggy AshcroftThe Wars of the Roses/Rosmersholm June BarryFour of Hearts - Tilt/Twice Upon a Time/Progress to the Park/No Trams to Lime Street Vivien MerchantThe Tea Party Moira RedmondAnatol/The Late Edwina Black/Challenge/R-3 Series/A Tall Stalwart Lancer 1967 (13th) Vanessa Redgrave 1968 (14th) Judi Dench Talking to a Stranger 1969 (15th) Wendy CraigNot in Front of the Children
1970s Year Actor Project Role(s) 1970 (16th) Margaret Tyzack The First Churchills Anne, Queen of Great BritainSheila Allen The Confessions of Marian Evans Marian EvansEileen Atkins The Letter / The Heiress (Play of the Month) / Double Bill (The Wednesday Play) Leslie Crosbie / Catherine Sloper / WomanGwen Watford A Walk Through the Forest Dorrie Clarke 1971 (17th) Annette CrosbieThe Six Wives of Henry VIII Catherine of AragonGlenda Jackson Howards End Margaret SchlegelGemma Jones The Lie / The Spoils of PoyntonAnna Firth / Fleda VetchRosemary LeachGerminal / The Roads to FreedomMaheude / MarcelleDorothy Tutin The Six Wives of Henry VIII / Flotsam and JetsamAnne Boleyn / Mrs. Grange 1972 (18th) Patricia HayesEdna, the Inebriate Woman EdnaGlenda Jackson Elizabeth R Elizabeth I of EnglandGemma Jones The Man in the Side Car / The Cherry OrchardEdith / VaryaRosemary Leach The Mosedale Horseshoe / Cider with RosieHelen / Mother 1973 (19th) Billie WhitelawThe Sextet (8 plays) Various Characters Pauline Collins Upstairs Downstairs / "Crippled Bloom" (Country Matters)Sarah Moffat / RubyAnne Stallybrass The Onedin Line / The Strauss Family Anne Onedin / Anna Strauss 1974 (20th) Celia JohnsonMrs. Palfrey at the Claremont Mrs. PalfreyFrancesca Annis A Pin to See the Peepshow Julia AlmondRosemary LeachThe Adventures of Don Quioxte (Play of the Month) Dulcinea / AldonzaBillie Whitelaw "The Withered Arm" (Wessex Tales) Rhoda 1975 (21st) Lee Remick Jennie: Lady Randolph Churchill JennieJudy Cornwell Cakes and Ale Rosie GannJanet Suzman Florence Nightingale / Hedda Gabler (Play for Today) / Antony and Cleopatra / "Athol Fugard" (2nd House) Miss Nightingale / Hedda Gabler / Cleopatra / Actress in Hello and GoodbyeDorothy Tutin South Riding Sarah Burton 1976 (22nd) Annette Crosbie Edward the Seventh Queen VictoriaFrancesca Annis Madame Bovary Emma BovaryVirginia McKenna Cheap in August Mary WatsonHelen Ryan Edward the Seventh Queen Alexandra 1977 (23rd) Siân Phillips How Green Was My Valley / I, Claudius Beth Morgan / LiviaJulie Covington Rock Follies Devonia "Dee" RhoadesPenelope Keith Private Lives Amanda PrynneGemma Jones The Duchess of Duke Street Louisa Trotter 1978 (24th) Penelope Keith The Norman Conquests SarahGeraldine James Dummy Sandra XJane LapotaireMarie Curie / The Return Marie Curie / Bridget RitsinSusan Littler Spend, Spend, Spend Vivian Nicholson 1979 (25th) Francesca Annis Lillie Lillie Langtry Peggy Ashcroft Edward and Mrs. Simpson / Hullabaloo Over Georgie and Bonnie's Pictures Queen Mary / Lady G Cheryl CampbellPennies from Heaven Eileen Cynthia Harris Edward and Mrs. Simpson Wallis Simpson
1980s Year Actor Project Role(s) 1980 (26th) Cheryl Campbell Testament of Youth / Malice Aforethought / The Duke of WellingtonVera Brittain / Madeleine Cranmere / The Duchess of WellingtonJudi Dench On Giant's ShouldersHazel WilesKate Nelligan Measure for MeasureIsabellaBeryl Reid Tinker Tailor Soldier SpyConnie Sachs 1981 (27th) Peggy Ashcroft Cream in My Coffee / Caught on a Train Jean Wilsher / Frau MessnerCelia Johnson Staying OnLucy SmalleyKate Nelligan Dreams of Leaving / Thérèse Raquin / Forgive Our Foolish WaysCaroline / Thérèse Raquin / Vivien LanyonPamela StephensonNot the Nine O'Clock NewsVarious Roles 1982 (28th) Judi Dench Going Gently / A Fine Romance / The Cherry Orchard Sister Scarli / Laura Dalton / Madame RanevskayaClaire Bloom Brideshead RevisitedLady MarchmainCelia Johnson The Potting ShedMrs. CalliferDiana Quick Brideshead RevisitedJulia Flyte 1983 (29th) Beryl Reid Smiley's PeopleConnie SachsJane Asher A Voyage Round My Father / Love Is Old, Love Is NewElizabeth / KathaMaureen Lipman Outside Edge / Rolling HomeMaggie / ValJulie WaltersBoys from the Blackstuff / Say Something HappenedAngie Todd / June Potter 1984 (30th) Coral Browne An Englishman AbroadHerselfBlair Brown KennedyJacqueline Kennedy OnassisJudi Dench Saigon: Year of the CatBarbara DeanMaggie SmithMrs. SillyMrs. Silly 1985 (31st) Peggy Ashcroft The Jewel in the CrownBarbara Batchelor Geraldine JamesThe Jewel in the CrownSarah LaytonJudy Parfitt Mildred LaytonSusan WooldridgeDaphne Manners 1986 (32nd) Claire Bloom Shadowlands Joy GershamFrances de la Tour Duet for OneStephanie AndersonMary SteenburgenTender Is the NightNicole Warren DiverJoanne Whalley Edge of DarknessEmma Craven 1987 (33rd) Anna Massey Hotel du LacEdith HopeJoan Hickson Miss Marple: The Murder at the VicarageMiss MarpleWendy Hiller All Passion SpentLady SlanePatricia Hodge Hotel du LacMonicaAlison Steadman The Singing DetectiveMrs. MarlowJulie T. Wallace The Life and Loves of a She-DevilRuth 1988 (34th) Emma Thompson Fortunes of War / Tutti Frutti Harriet Pringle / Suzi KettlesJean Alexander Coronation StreetHilda OgdenJoan Hickson Miss Marple: NemesisMiss MarpleMiranda Richardson After PilkingtonPenny "Patch" Newhouse 1989 (35th) Thora HirdTalking Heads: A Cream Cracker Under The Settee DorisJane Lapotaire Blind JusticeKatherine HughesPatricia Routledge Talking Heads: A Lady of LettersIrene RuddockMaggie Smith Talking Heads: Bed Among the LentilsSusan
1990s Year Actors Work Character Network 1990 (36th) Diana Rigg Mother Love Helena Vesey BBC OnePeggy AshcroftShe's Been AwayLillian Huckle BBC One Judi Dench Behaving BadlyBridget Mayor Channel 4 Gwen Taylor A Bit of a DoRita Simcock ITV 1991 (37th) Geraldine McEwan Oranges Are Not the Only FruitMother BBC Two Susannah Harker House of Cards Mattie Storin BBC Emily Aston Oranges Are Not the Only FruitSmall JessBBC TwoCharlotte Coleman Jess 1992 (38th) Helen MirrenPrime SuspectJane Tennison ITV Lindsay Duncan G.B.H.Barbara Douglas Channel 4Zoe Wanamaker Prime SuspectMoyra Henson ITVPrunella ScalesA Question of AttributionH.M.Q. BBC One 1993 (39th) Helen Mirren Prime Suspect 2Jane Tennison ITVMaggie Smith Memento MoriMrs. Mabel PettigrewBBC TwoJuliet Stevenson A Doll's HouseNora HelmerZoe Wanamaker Love HurtsTessa Piggott BBC One 1994 (40th) Helen MirrenPrime Suspect 3Jane Tennison ITVOlympia Dukakis Armistead Maupins Tales of the CityAnna Madrigal Channel 4Siobhan Redmond Between the LinesMaureen "Mo" ConnellBBC OneJulie Walters Wide-Eyed and LeglessDiana Longden 1995 (41st) Juliet Aubrey MiddlemarchDorothea Brooke BBC TwoSiobhan RedmondBetween the LinesMaureen "Mo" ConnellBBC OneVictoria WoodPat and MargaretMargaret MottersheadGeraldine Somerville CrackerJane Penhaligon ITV 1996 (42nd) Jennifer Ehle Pride and PrejudiceElizabeth Bennet BBC OneHelen Mirren Prime Suspect 4Jane TennisonITVGeraldine James Band of GoldRosemary "Rose" GarrityJuliet Stevenson The Politician's WifeFlora Matlock Channel 4 1997 (43rd) Gina McKee Our Friends in the NorthMary Soulsby BBC TwoHelen Mirren Prime Suspect 5Jane TennisonITVAlex Kingston The Fortunes and Misfortunes of Moll FlandersMoll FlandersPauline QuirkeThe SculptressOlive Martin BBC 1998 (44th) Daniela Nardini This Life Anna Forbes BBC TwoFrancesca Annis RecklessAnna Fairley ITVKathy Burke Tom JonesHonour BBC OneMiranda Richardson A Dance to the Music of TimePamela Flitton Channel 4 1999 (45th) Thora HirdTalking Heads: Waiting For The TelegramViolet BBC TwoFrancesca AnnisRecklessAnna Fairley ITVNatasha Little Vanity FairBecky SharpBBCJoanna Lumley A Rather English MarriageLiz Franks 2000s Year Actors Work Character Network 2000 (46th) Thora Hird Lost for Words Annie Longden ITVFrancesca Annis Wives and Daughters Hyacinth GibsonBBC OneMaggie Smith David Copperfield Betsey TrotwoodLindsay Duncan Shooting the Past Marilyn Truman BBC Two 2001 (47th) Judi Dench The Last of the Blonde Bombshells Elizabeth Gold BBCAmanda Redman At Home with the Braithwaites Alison BraithwaiteITVFay Ripley Cold Feet Jenny GiffordAlison Steadman Fat Friends Betty SimpsonGeraldine James The Sins Gloria Green BBC One 2002 (48th) Julie Walters My Beautiful Son Sheila Fitzpatrick ITVLindsay DuncanPerfect Strangers Alice Hagerty BBC TwoSheila Hancock The Russian Bride Dora BlossomITVLesley Sharp Bob & Rose Rose Cooper 2003 (49th) Julie Walters Murder Angela Maurer BBC TwoSheila Hancock Bedtime Alice Oldfield BBC OneJessica HynesTomorrow La Scala! Victoria Stevenson BBC TwoVanessa RedgraveThe Gathering Storm Clementine Churchill BBC 2004 (50th) Julie WaltersThe Canterbury Tales Beth Craddock BBC OneHelen Mirren Prime Suspect 6: The Last Witness Jane Tennison ITVGina McKee The Lost Prince Charlotte BillBBC OneMiranda Richardson Queen Mary 2005 (51st) Anamaria Marinca Sex Traffic Elena Visinescu Channel 4Brenda Blethyn Belonging Jess Cople ITVAnne-Marie DuffShameless Fiona Gallagher Channel 4Lia Williams May 33rd Ella Wilson BBC One 2006 (52nd) Anna Maxwell MartinBleak House Esther Summerson BBC OneAnne-Marie Duff Shameless Fiona GallagherChannel 4Lucy Cohu The Queen's Sister Princess MargaretGillian AndersonBleak House Lady Dedlock BBC One 2007 (53rd) Victoria Wood Housewife, 49 Nella Last ITVAnne-Marie Duff The Virgin Queen Elizabeth IBBC OneRuth Wilson Jane Eyre Jane EyreSamantha Morton Longford Myra Hindley Channel 4 2008 (54th) Eileen Atkins Cranford Deborah Jenkyns BBC OneKierston Wareing It's a Free World... Angela Channel 4Gina McKee The Street Jan ParrBBC OneJudi Dench Cranford Matilda "Matty" Jenkyns 2009 (55th) Anna Maxwell Martin Poppy Shakespeare N Channel 4June Brown EastEnders Dot Cotton BBC OneMaxine Peake Hancock and Joan Joan Le MesurierBBC FourAndrea RiseboroughMargaret Thatcher: The Long Walk to Finchley Margaret Thatcher
2010s