Martin Lewis fought back tears as he accepted a BAFTA Special Award at the 2026 TV BAFTA Awards, recalling the sudden loss of his mother when he was a child. The Money Saving Expert founder and ITV presenter was handed the award by Richard Osman during the ceremony at London's Royal Festival Hall on Sunday 10 May.
Opening his speech with humour, Lewis joked: 'Yes, a BAFTA, mainly for an ITV show that's just a PowerPoint presentation with a Q&A afterwards.' He then argued that television 'doesn't have to be format driven', adding: 'People will embrace something actionable, something real, something that helps, and they will even embrace complexity if we make it worth it.'
Lewis became emotional as he revealed the significance of the date: '42 years to the day that we suddenly lost my mum just before I was 12. My childhood was over. For six years, barring school, I barely left the house. And now I'm picking up a BAFTA.' After applause, he added: 'So to all of you out there struggling with your own demons, know this. Life can be transformed. It can get better.'
He dedicated the award to 'consumer journalism, where I found the fire,' and concluded: 'And now with tears in my eyes, sadly, it's time for this nerd to party.' The ceremony, hosted by Greg Davies, saw the cast of Adolescence dominate, with the series winning Best Limited Drama and Owen Cooper and Christine Tremarco taking acting honours. The Celebrity Traitors won Best Reality Award, and Last One Laughing claimed Best Entertainment.
