The Scottish actor and presenter Alan Cumming has been named as the new host of the Bafta film awards, taking over the reins from David Tennant.
Cumming, who hosted the Bafta TV awards earlier this year and captivated audiences worldwide as host of The Traitors US, will take the stage at the Royal Festival Hall for the ceremony on 22 February 2026.
Following lengthy stints by Stephen Fry and Jonathan Ross, the film awards of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts have been hosted by a variety of presenters in recent years, including Joanna Lumley, Rebel Wilson, Richard E Grant and, in 2025, Tennant.
Cumming said he was excited to “be back in the Bafta fold, this time hosting the EE Bafta film awards, a night like no other when we celebrate and honour creativity and craftsmanship – and also hopefully have a laugh and create some mischief as we do so”.
Emma Baehr, Bafta’s executive director of awards and content, paid tribute to Cumming’s “sharp wit, warmth and vibrant energy”.
She added: “As we honour the outstanding talent in film that brings stories to life on screen, we know that Alan will give us an unforgettable night full of laughter, magic and plenty of surprises, and maybe some extraordinary outfits!”
Cumming’s celebrated career spans television, film and theatre. His numerous accolades include a Bafta, multiple Emmys, two Tonys and an Olivier award. He is also the artistic director of Pitlochry Festival theatre.
The longlists for the annual Bafta film awards will be released on 9 January, with the nominations announced on 27 January.
Bafta has undergone an extensive overhaul of its voting pool following the #BaftasSoWhite controversy of 2020, when none of the acting nominees were people of colour. Earlier this month, the organisation announced it had achieved nearly all of its five-year membership diversity targets across minority ethnic groups, deaf, disabled and neurodivergent members and those who identify as LGB+.
However, while Bafta set a target of 50% of its membership identifying as women, this figure is currently 43%. The organisation noted that 51% of new members joining since 2020 identify as women.
The Baftas are the penultimate major awards event of the season. The Golden Globes are on 11 January, while the Oscars are on 15 March.
In 2025, Conclave – Edward Berger’s Vatican-set thriller starring Ralph Fiennes as a cardinal overseeing the election of a new pope – was a standout winner, with a dozen nominations and four awards including for best picture.
Among the films expected to be shortlisted in 2026 are Hamnet, Sinners, One Battle After Another, Marty Supreme and Frankenstein.
