· Martin Lewis is to be honoured with the BAFTA Television Special Award in recognition of his extraordinary and lasting impact on British consumers and public life
· The BAFTA Television Awards with P&O Cruises is set to take place at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall on Sunday 10 May, hosted by Greg Davies and broadcast on BBC One and BBC iPlayer
BAFTA announces that Martin Lewis CBE will be presented with the BAFTA Television Special Award at this year’s BAFTA Television Awards with P&O Cruises on Sunday 10 May. The award is presented to an individual or organisation that has made an outstanding contribution to television, in recognition of a remarkable body of work that has had a significant cultural, social or industry impact.
Martin Lewis is widely regarded as the most trusted man on British television, a broadcaster, journalist and campaigner who has fundamentally changed the way the nation thinks about money. Through his consumer website MoneySavingExpert.com, his long-running ITV series The Martin Lewis Money Show Live, his role as presenter and expert on Good Morning Britain, and his position as resident expert on This Morning, he has empowered millions of people with the financial knowledge and confidence to take control of their lives.
The Martin Lewis Money Show launched in 2012 and in 2020 became The Martin Lewis Money Show Live as the programme moved to a live format. It consistently draws audiences of around 2.5 million viewers with a 20% audience share, almost always topping the list of current affairs programmes in the broadcast charts. At a time when consumer programming has faced growing pressures, the show has not only endured but thrived, a testament to the unique trust and authority that Martin commands with his audience.
Martin has been at the forefront of some of the most important consumer campaigns of the past two decades, cutting through complexity to bring clarity and action. He got consumers £1bn back in unfair bank charges and £10bn for PPI, made governments change course many times, on energy bills, mortgage policy, and even in recent weeks on council tax debt collection, and his charity is at the forefront of trying to improve the intersection between money and mental health issues. His work is characterised by a rare combination of expertise, accessibility and genuine care for the people he serves.
His contribution to public life has been recognised formally on multiple occasions. Martin was appointed CBE in the 2022 New Year Honours for services to broadcasting and consumer rights.
The BAFTA Television Committee is delighted to present Martin Lewis with this year’s Special Award, in recognition of a body of work that has made a genuine and lasting difference to the lives of millions of people across the UK.
Martin Lewis said: “For many years, people assumed I was a financial adviser. I’m not. I never have been. I am, proudly, a broadcast journalist. That is why this level of recognition at BAFTA’s TV Awards feels so meaningful. If someone had told the young man retraining in 1997 for a postgrad in broadcast journalism that this would happen, his jaw would have dropped, he’d have smiled in disbelief, and asked: ‘What on earth for?’ And, truthfully, I still feel a bit like that today.
“Campaigning journalism does not just mean exposing stories. It can also mean engaging viewers to take action. I’m incredibly grateful for the privilege ITV has given me over the past 14 years, inviting me into people’s sitting rooms, in the evenings, with a platform to share information that I believe can help improve people’s quality of life. Yet I’m most grateful for the privilege so many of those watching have given me by listening and acting on it. Thanks so much to BAFTA for recognising that, it’s incredible, and in doing so it shines a much-needed spotlight on TV consumer journalism, which plays a vital role in society to help redress the imbalance of power between consumers and the big institutions of commerce and the state.
“And of course, a giant thumbs up and grateful nod to my amazing teams at my show, and MoneySavingExpert, and all others I work with, for all the hard work behind the scenes that lets me do what I do.”
Jane Millichip, CEO of BAFTA, said: “We are delighted to honour Martin Lewis with the BAFTA TV Special Award. For many years Martin has been a powerful voice in British television, informing millions across the UK how to manage their finances, and empowering them to understand and stand up for their rights. Martin has consistently proved the power of television to drive positive societal change. His expertise is unique in the TV landscape and his ability to turn information into meaningful, tangible advice is unmatched. We cannot wait to celebrate him alongside all of the nominees at this year’s BAFTA Television Awards with P&O Cruises.”
The BAFTA Television Special Award will be presented to Martin Lewis during the 2026 BAFTA Television Awards with P&O Cruises ceremony on Sunday 10 May at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall. The ceremony will be hosted by Greg Davies and will be broadcast on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
Previous recipients of the BAFTA Television Special Award include ITV for Mr Bates & The Post Office, Idris Elba, Lorraine Kelly, David Olusoga, Delia Smith, Lenny Henry and Shonda Rhimes. Last year’s BAFTA Television Awards with P&O Cruises delivered an average audience of 2.5 million on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, while @BAFTA socials generated over 23 million video views on awards day.
P&O Cruises is the headline partner for the BAFTA Television Awards for the fourth year running. The P&O Cruises Memorable Moment Award is the only award voted for by members of the public, honouring the impact of television and its power to bring the nation together. This year’s shortlist was announced on Tuesday 17 March and can be found HERE. The winner will be announced at the awards ceremony on Sunday 10 May.
Follow @BAFTA on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, LinkedIn and X to get all of the latest updates, exclusive behind-the-scenes footage and interviews from the 2026 BAFTA Television Awards with P&O Cruises. Social posts should use #BAFTATVAwards with @PandOCruises
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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
Multitude Media BAFTA Team: baftateam@multitudemedia.co.uk
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Multitude Media BAFTA Team: baftateam@multitudemedia.co.uk
About BAFTA
BAFTA’s mission as a charity is to champion the creative and cultural importance of the screen arts across film, games and television. Through its Awards ceremonies and year-round programme of talent initiatives and learning events — including masterclasses, lectures, scholarships, bursaries and mentoring schemes in the UK and North America — BAFTA identifies and celebrates excellence, inspires practitioners and learners, and supports the next generation of creative talent. For more information visit: bafta.alchemy.construction
About P&O Cruises
P&O Cruises is Britain’s favourite cruise line, welcoming guests onboard its seven ships to experience holidays with a blend of discovery, choice, relaxation and exceptional service catered towards British tastes. With a proud history spanning more than 187 years, each ship has its own appeal from family friendly or exclusively for adults with every sailing delivering each guest a holiday like never before.
With over 180 destinations worldwide, P&O Cruises itineraries are carefully curated to inspire discovery and are varied to suit newcomers and experienced guests alike. P&O Cruises prides itself on working with top culinary talent; Food Heroes include chefs Marco Pierre White and José Pizarro as well as award-winning drinks expert Olly Smith.
Recent awards for P&O Cruises include:
1. Wave Awards 2025 – Best Advertising & Marketing Campaign
2. British Travel Awards 2025 – Best Cruise Line for Family Holidays
3. The Travel Industry Awards 2025 by TTG – Industry Marketing Campaign of the Year
4. Sailawaze Excellence Awards 2025 – Best in Entertainment
5. Best in Cruise Awards by Cruise Critic Awards 2025 – No-Fly Cruise Line (Ocean Category)
The company is part of Carnival Corporation & PLC (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE:CUK).
