BAFTA to honor Matthew Perry at TV awards following controversy over his exclusion from film In memoriam

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) has issued a response to the online backlash concerning Matthew Perry's omission from the In Memoriam segment of the 2024 BAFTA Film Awards on Sunday.

Following Perry's passing last October at the age of 54, his absence from the tribute, which featured a special rendition of Cyndi Lauper's Time After Time performed by Hannah Waddingham of Ted Lasso, sparked immediate criticism from social media users.

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BAFTA Addresses Backlash

BAFTA responded to Perry's absence from the tribute by confirming to PEOPLE that he will be remembered at the upcoming BAFTA Television Awards. Additionally, on X, BAFTA reiterated this announcement, stating that Matthew Perry will be honored during this year's TV Awards ceremony and shared a link to the academy's online tribute to the actor.

Despite BAFTA's assurance of recognition at the TV Awards, some users continued to express frustration over Perry's absence from the ceremony, emphasizing that although he was primarily recognized for his role in Friends, he also had a significant presence in numerous films throughout his acting career.

Remembering Matthew Perry

Perry passed away on Saturday, October 28th, at his Los Angeles residence. His cause of death was subsequently determined to be due to the acute effects of ketamine, alongside other contributing factors.During the recent 2023 Emmy Awards last month.

The actor was featured in the In Memoriam segment. Perry's image was displayed as Charlie Puth performed his 2015 hit, See You Again, which smoothly transitioned into the iconic Friends theme song, I'll Be There for You.

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