O British Academy Television Award de Melhor Atriz (também conhecido como BAFTA de Melhor Atriz em Televisão) é concedido desde 1955 pela British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). Inicialmente, o prêmio era entregue como uma “honraria individual”, sem referência a uma atuação específica, até que, em 1969, Wendy Craig venceu por seu desempenho na série Not in Front of the Children.
A partir de 1970, passaram a ser anunciadas as atrizes indicadas, além da vencedora. Em 2010, a categoria foi oficialmente dividida em Melhor Atriz Principal e Melhor Atriz Coadjuvante.
Julie Walters detém o recorde de maior número de vitórias na categoria, com quatro prêmios, seguida por Judi Dench, Thora Hird e Helen Mirren, cada uma com três conquistas. Em relação às indicações, Helen Mirren e Francesca Annis acumulam seis cada, enquanto Judi Dench e Julie Walters lideram com sete. A vencedora mais recente é Marisa Abela, premiada em 2025 por sua atuação em Industry.
Vencedoras Década de 1950 Ano Atriz Trabalho Personagem 1955 Googie Withers 1956Virginia McKenna 1957Rosalie Crutchley 1958Não houve prêmio 1959Gwen Watford Década de 1960 Ano Atriz Trabalho Personagem 1960Catherine Lacey 1961Billie Whitelaw 1962 Ruth Dunning 1963Brenda Bruce 1964Vivien Merchant 1965 Katharine Blake 1966</small> Gwen Watford The Cesar Birotteau/Madam/End Of Term/Take Care Of Madam/The Rules Of The Game Peggy AshcroftThe Wars of the Roses/Rosmersholm June BarryFour of Hearts - Tilt/Twice Upon a Time/Progress to the Park/No Trams to Lime Street Vivien MerchantThe Tea Party Moira RedmondAnatol/The Late Edwina Black/Challenge/R-3 Series/A Tall Stalwart Lancer 1967 Vanessa Redgrave 1968 Judi Dench Talking to a Stranger 1969 Wendy CraigNot in Front of the Children
Década de 1970 Ano Atriz Trabalho Personagem 1970 Margaret Tyzack The First Churchills Ana da Grã-BretanhaSheila AllenThe Confessions of Marian Evans Marian EvansEileen Atkins The Letter / The Heiress (Play of the Month) / Double Bill (The Wednesday Play) Leslie Crosbie / Catherine Sloper / WomanGwen Watford A Walk Through the Forest Dorrie Clarke 1971 Annette CrosbieThe Six Wives of Henry VIII Catarina de AragãoGlenda Jackson Howards End Margaret SchlegelGemma Jones The Lie / The Spoils of PoyntonAnna Firth / Fleda VetchRosemary LeachGerminal / The Roads to FreedomMaheude / MarcelleDorothy TutinThe Six Wives of Henry VIII / Flotsam and JetsamAnne Boleyn / Sra. Grange 1972 Patricia HayesEdna, the Inebriate Woman EdnaGlenda Jackson Elizabeth R Elizabeth I da InglaterraGemma Jones The Man in the Side Car / The Cherry OrchardEdith / VaryaRosemary Leach The Mosedale Horseshoe / Cider with RosieHelen / Mãe 1973 Billie WhitelawThe Sextet (8 peças) Vários personagens Pauline Collins Upstairs Downstairs / "Crippled Bloom" (Country Matters)Sarah Moffat / RubyAnne StallybrassThe Onedin Line / The Strauss Family Anne Onedin / Anna Strauss 1974 Celia JohnsonMrs. Palfrey at the Claremont Sra. PalfreyFrancesca Annis A Pin to See the Peepshow Julia AlmondRosemary LeachThe Adventures of Don Quioxte (Play of the Month) Dulcinea / AldonzaBillie Whitelaw "The Withered Arm" (Wessex Tales) Rhoda 1975 Lee Remick Jennie: Lady Randolph Churchill Jennie JeromeJudy Cornwell Cakes and Ale Rosie GannJanet Suzman Florence Nightingale / Hedda Gabler (Play for Today) / Antony and Cleopatra / "Athol Fugard" (2nd House) Senhorita Nightingale / Hedda Gabler / Cleópatra / Atriz em Hello & GoodbyeDorothy Tutin South Riding Sarah Burton 1976 Annette Crosbie Edward the Seventh Rainha VitóriaFrancesca Annis Madame Bovary Emma BovaryVirginia McKenna Cheap in August Mary WatsonHelen RyanEdward the Seventh Alexandra da Dinamarca 1977 Siân Phillips How Green Was My Valley / I, Claudius Beth Morgan / LiviaJulie Covington Rock Follies Devonia "Dee" RhoadesPenelope Keith Private Lives Amanda PrynneGemma Jones The Duchess of Duke Street Louisa Trotter 1978 Penelope Keith The Norman Conquests SarahGeraldine JamesDummy Sandra XJane LapotaireMarie Curie / The Return Marie Curie / Bridget RitsinSusan LittlerSpend, Spend, Spend Vivian Nicholson 1979 Francesca Annis Lillie Lillie Langtry Peggy Ashcroft Edward and Mrs. Simpson / Hullabaloo Over Georgie and Bonnie's Pictures Rainha Mary / Lady G Cheryl CampbellPennies from Heaven Eileen Cynthia Harris Edward and Mrs. Simpson Wallis Simpson
Década de 1980 Ano Atriz Trabalho Persoangem 1980 Cheryl Campbell Testament of Youth / Malice Aforethought / The Duke of WellingtonVera Brittain / Madeleine Cranmere / Duquesa de WellingtonJudi Dench On Giant's ShouldersHazel WilesKate NelliganMeasure for MeasureIsabellaBeryl Reid Tinker Tailor Soldier SpyConnie Sachs 1981 Peggy Ashcroft Cream in My Coffee / Caught on a Train Jean Wilsher / Frau MessnerCelia Johnson Staying OnLucy SmalleyKate Nelligan Dreams of Leaving / Thérèse Raquin / Forgive Our Foolish WaysCaroline / Thérèse Raquin / Vivien LanyonPamela StephensonNot the Nine O'Clock NewsVarious Roles 1982 Judi Dench Going Gently / A Fine Romance / The Cherry Orchard Sister Scarli / Laura Dalton / Madame RanevskayaClaire Bloom Brideshead RevisitedLady MarchmainCelia Johnson The Potting ShedSra. CalliferDiana QuickBrideshead RevisitedJulia Flyte 1983 Beryl Reid Smiley's PeopleConnie SachsJane Asher A Voyage Round My Father / Love Is Old, Love Is NewElizabeth / KathaMaureen Lipman Outside Edge / Rolling HomeMaggie / ValJulie WaltersBoys from the Blackstuff / Say Something HappenedAngie Todd / June Potter 1984 Coral Browne An Englishman AbroadEla mesmaBlair Brown KennedyJacqueline Kennedy OnassisJudi Dench Saigon: Year of the CatBarbara DeanMaggie SmithSra. SillySra. Silly 1985 Peggy Ashcroft The Jewel in the CrownBarbara Batchelor Geraldine JamesThe Jewel in the CrownSarah LaytonJudy ParfittMildred LaytonSusan WooldridgeDaphne Manners 1986 Claire Bloom Shadowlands Joy GershamFrances de la Tour Duet for OneStephanie AndersonMary SteenburgenTender Is the NightNicole Warren DiverJoanne Whalley Edge of DarknessEmma Craven 1987 Anna Massey Hotel du LacEdith HopeJoan HicksonMiss Marple: The Murder at the VicarageMiss MarpleWendy Hiller All Passion SpentLady SlanePatricia HodgeHotel du LacMonicaAlison SteadmanThe Singing DetectiveMrs. MarlowJulie T. Wallace The Life and Loves of a She-DevilRuth 1988 Emma Thompson Fortunes of War / Tutti Frutti Harriet Pringle / Suzi KettlesJean Alexander Coronation StreetHilda OgdenJoan Hickson Miss Marple: NemesisMiss MarpleMiranda Richardson After PilkingtonPenny "Patch" Newhouse 1989 Thora HirdTalking Heads: A Cream Cracker Under The Settee DorisJane Lapotaire Blind JusticeKatherine HughesPatricia RoutledgeTalking Heads: A Lady of LettersIrene RuddockMaggie Smith Talking Heads: Bed Among the LentilsSusan
Década de 1990 Ano Atriz Trabalho Personagem Rede de televisão 1990 Diana Rigg Mother Love Helena Vesey BBC OnePeggy AshcroftShe's Been AwayLillian Huckle BBC One Judi Dench Behaving BadlyBridget Mayor Channel 4 Gwen TaylorA Bit of a DoRita Simcock ITV 1991 Geraldine McEwan Oranges Are Not the Only FruitMother BBC Two Susannah Harker House of Cards Mattie Storin BBC Emily Aston Oranges Are Not the Only FruitSmall JessBBC TwoCharlotte Coleman Jess 1992 Helen MirrenPrime SuspectJane Tennison ITV Lindsay Duncan G.B.H.Barbara Douglas Channel 4Zoe Wanamaker Prime SuspectMoyra Henson ITVPrunella ScalesA Question of AttributionH.M.Q. BBC One 1993 Helen Mirren Prime Suspect 2Jane Tennison ITVMaggie Smith Memento MoriSra. Mabel PettigrewBBC TwoJuliet Stevenson A Doll's HouseNora HelmerZoe Wanamaker Love HurtsTessa Piggott BBC One 1994 Helen MirrenPrime Suspect 3Jane Tennison ITVOlympia Dukakis Armistead Maupins Tales of the CityAnna Madrigal Channel 4Siobhan RedmondBetween the LinesMaureen "Mo" ConnellBBC OneJulie Walters Wide-Eyed and LeglessDiana Longden 1995 Juliet Aubrey MiddlemarchDorothea Brooke BBC TwoSiobhan RedmondBetween the LinesMaureen "Mo" ConnellBBC OneVictoria WoodPat and MargaretMargaret MottersheadGeraldine Somerville CrackerJane Penhaligon ITV 1996 Jennifer Ehle Pride and PrejudiceElizabeth Bennet BBC OneHelen Mirren Prime Suspect 4Jane TennisonITVGeraldine James Band of GoldRosemary "Rose" GarrityJuliet Stevenson The Politician's WifeFlora Matlock Channel 4 1997 Gina McKee Our Friends in the NorthMary Soulsby BBC TwoHelen Mirren Prime Suspect 5Jane TennisonITVAlex Kingston The Fortunes and Misfortunes of Moll FlandersMoll FlandersPauline QuirkeThe SculptressOlive Martin BBC 1998 Daniela Nardini This Life Anna Forbes BBC TwoFrancesca Annis RecklessAnna Fairley ITVKathy Burke Tom JonesHonour BBC OneMiranda Richardson A Dance to the Music of TimePamela Flitton Channel 4 1999 Thora HirdTalking Heads: Waiting For The TelegramViolet BBC TwoFrancesca AnnisRecklessAnna Fairley ITVNatasha LittleVanity FairBecky SharpBBCJoanna Lumley A Rather English MarriageLiz Franks
Década de 2000 Ano Atriz Trabalho Personagem Rede de televisão 2000 Thora Hird Lost for Words Annie Longden ITVFrancesca Annis Wives and Daughters Hyacinth GibsonBBC OneMaggie Smith David Copperfield Betsey TrotwoodLindsay Duncan Shooting the Past Marilyn Truman BBC Two 2001 Judi Dench The Last of the Blonde Bombshells Elizabeth Gold BBCAmanda Redman At Home with the Braithwaites Alison BraithwaiteITVFay RipleyCold Feet Jenny GiffordAlison Steadman Fat Friends Betty SimpsonGeraldine JamesThe Sins Gloria Green BBC One 2002 Julie Walters My Beautiful Son Sheila Fitzpatrick ITVLindsay DuncanPerfect Strangers Alice Hagerty BBC TwoSheila HancockThe Russian Bride Dora BlossomITVLesley SharpBob & Rose Rose Cooper 2003 Julie Walters Murder Angela Maurer BBC TwoSheila HancockBedtime Alice Oldfield BBC OneJessica HynesTomorrow La Scala! Victoria Stevenson BBC TwoVanessa RedgraveThe Gathering Storm Clementine Churchill BBC 2004 Julie WaltersThe Canterbury Tales Beth Craddock BBC OneHelen Mirren Prime Suspect 6: The Last Witness Jane Tennison ITVGina McKee The Lost Prince Charlotte BillBBC OneMiranda Richardson Rainha Mary 2005 Anamaria Marinca Sex Traffic Elena Visinescu Channel 4Brenda Blethyn Belonging Jess Cople ITVAnne-Marie DuffShameless Fiona Gallagher Channel 4Lia Williams May 33rd Ella Wilson BBC One 2006 Anna Maxwell MartinBleak House Esther Summerson BBC OneAnne-Marie Duff Shameless Fiona GallagherChannel 4Lucy Cohu The Queen's Sister Princesa MargaretGillian AndersonBleak House Lady Dedlock BBC One 2007 Victoria Wood Housewife, 49 Nella Last ITVAnne-Marie Duff The Virgin Queen Elizabeth IBBC OneRuth Wilson Jane Eyre Jane EyreSamantha Morton Longford Myra Hindley Channel 4 2008 Eileen Atkins Cranford Deborah Jenkyns BBC OneKierston WareingIt's a Free World... Angela Channel 4Gina McKee The Street Jan ParrBBC OneJudi Dench Cranford Matilda "Matty" Jenkyns 2009 Anna Maxwell Martin Poppy Shakespeare N Channel 4June Brown EastEnders Dot Cotton BBC OneMaxine Peake Hancock and Joan Joan Le MesurierBBC FourAndrea RiseboroughMargaret Thatcher: The Long Walk to Finchley Margaret Thatcher
Década de 2010