2026 Nominees

Timothy Spall, Death Valley

BBC Studios Comedy

UK

- Best Performance in a Comedy

Timothy Spall plays retired actor and National Treasure John Chapel in BBC1’s new comedy-drama Death Valley, written by Paul Doolan. John forms an unlikely crime-solving duo with disarming Welsh detective Janie Mallowan, played by Gwyneth Keyworth, as they solve murders across beautiful Welsh locations. The series blends a classic murder-mystery whodunnit with the wit and fun of a character-driven comedy while maintaining the look of a high-end drama. Each episode is powered by the off-beat, quirky and original chemistry between John and Janie, Spall’s portrayal delivers wit, timing, and emotional truth and his sharp comedy instincts find humour in the smallest of behavioural beats such as a perfectly weighted pause or a dry remark with disarming sincerity. He shapes John’s eccentricities into rich comedy without caricature, balancing real emotional stakes with effortless humour. The result is a vivid, charming performance rooted in truth.