Richard E Grant became emotional and struggled to hold back tears as he introduced the in memoriam section of the 2023 Baftas this evening (Sunday February 19).
His wife Joan Washington, a voice coach to celebrities including Penelope Cruz and Jessica Chastain, died in September 2021 after being diagnosed with terminal cancer. The couple had been in a relationship for 38 years and had been married for 35 of them.
Grant had one daughter with Washington, Olivia, and a stepson, Tom. She passed away eight months after being diagnosed with stage four lung cancer.
Addressing the star-studded audience at London's Royal Festival Hall, Grant said: "Tonight is a celebration of film in all its mad, sad, funny, frightening and thought-provoking forms. Let's take this opportunity to pay tribute to those members of the global film community that we sadly lost over the last 12 months."
The veteran actor became visibly emotional as he spoke and needed to take a brief moment to compose himself as he attempted to stifle tears. He apologised before continuing.
"Their impact lives on in film. Let's take a moment to remember them now," he added.
The ceremony paused to watch a small video package remembering those in the film industry who'd died in the last 12 months. Names including Dame Angela Lansbury, Dame Olivia Newton-John, Sylvia Syms, Robbie Coltrane and Burt Bacharach appeared on screen.
After the segment, members of the audience including Martin Freeman, Bill Nighy and the Duke of Cambridge applauded. Grant added that “their legacies will live on”.
