BAFTA 'Behind the Mask'

I love the BAFTAs.

They're the highlight of awards season, and I adore how they first and foremost support and celebrate British talent in a season (and global industry) dominated with enormous American hits. The Oscars may be the most talked about awards and everything seems to build up to them, but I'd take a glittering golden mask over a miniature golden man any day.

This years EE BAFTA Awards take place on Sunday 16th February, and I've been following the countdown obsessively on the BAFTA Twitter and Instagram pages. Rivalled only by a BBC Christmas montage, the BAFTA videos on YouTube are fantastic, and over the last few weeks they've been offering sneak peeks into the preparation for the ceremony, culminating in the first official trailer.

From revealing Laura Mvula and Tinie Tempah will open the awards; to the wonderful Stephen Fry hosting once more; to Prince William (!!) presenting his Gran (Helen Mirren) with the Fellowship Award, BAFTA is providing a masterclass on how to make the nation practically giddy with excitement. We might all need a cup of tea soon from Fortnum & Mason (the Official Tea Partner) to calm down.

To repeat, I really, really love the BAFTAs.

I've been meaning to go for ages, but as work commitments continually got in the way I only managed to venture to Somerset House yesterday. The spectacular neo-classical building - and one of the most beautiful places in London - is playing host to a BAFTA Future Archives collaboration with renowned photographer Andy Gotts. The exhibition 'Behind the Mask' is a photographic census of over 100 portraits of actors and actresses that have either won or been nominated for a BAFTA since 1954. It's been two years in the making, with Gotts travelling all over the world to photograph the likes of Daniel Day-Lewis, Tilda Swinton, John Hurt and Julie Walters.

Yesterday I escaped from the rain and hurricane style winds that destroyed my umbrella and dodged pavements full of miserable Londoners moaning about the tube strikes to take refuge in the West Wing.

I skirted round preparations for London Fashion Week and leaving my soggy, broken umbrella at the door by a giant BAFTA mask and grabbing a map, I meandered round the rooms admiring the photographs for a good hour.

There's no two ways about it: each and every one is simply stunning. Nestled in striking black frames on crisp white walls the photographs are bold and completely beautiful.

I'm partial to a good quote, and each fire-place was adorned with fantastic ones I couldn't help snapping a picture of.

Each portrait is accompanied by a plaque outlining which BAFTA they won, or were nominated for. Dame Judi Dench's list is - quite frankly - ridiculous. What a woman.

These are photographs that beg to be seen up close. Every detail, every imperfection, and every emotion is laid bare. They're raw, candid and perfectly human, adding yet another dimension to the stars we're so used to seeing on screen. Gotts has captured each subject at their most beautiful, and the combination of excellent photography, a historic venue and BAFTA's uncompromising position as a national treasure makes this an exhibition to remember.

It closes tomorrow, so drop everything immediately and run to see this outstanding exhibition while you still can.

Behind the Mask: Andy Gotts MBE portraits for BAFTA

21 January – 7 February 2014 

Open daily 10.00-18.00 (last admission 17.30) 

West Wing Galleries, West Wing, Somerset House 

Free admission

More information can be found here