Alex Edelman: Comedian claims he was subject to ‘harmful’ treatment by Bafta organisers

Comic recalled his experience of writing speeches for the 2017 ceremony

Alex Edelman has claimed he was subject to “harmful” treatment by Bafta organisers when he was writing speeches for the awards ceremony.

The comedian, who often ghost-writes for Jack Whitehall, recalled his experience of working in the writers’ room for the 2017 Baftas.

Explaining that the organisers were resistant to change and wary of anyone who hadn’t worked there for years, he said: “The producers treated me quite poorly. Frankly, I think it was that they had done things the same way for a long time… It isn’t healthy.”

He told The Telegraph: “I don’t think the people who do award shows realise how harmful this is.”

The Independent has contacted Bafta for comment.

The 2020 Baftas will take place on Sunday 2 February. The awards body has been the subject of much criticism this year after it failed to recognise a single non-white actor in its nominations, while giving Scarlett Johansson and Margot Robbie two nods each.

#BaftasSoWhite trended on Twitter in the wake of the Bafta nominations announcement, with critics and audiences condemning it.

Edelman is an American comic who has been working with Orange is the New Black creator Jenji Kohan on the forthcoming Netflix series Slutty Teenage Bounty Hunters.