Ant and Dec, Benedict Cumberbatch, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Keeley Hawes and Shirley Ballas were among the stars on the Bafta red carpet.
Killing Eve is going up against Bodyguard at the glitzy ceremony, with both hit TV shows up for best drama series.
Line of Duty’s Martin Compston, Ruth Wilson, Kelsey Grammer, Steve Coogan, the cast of Doctor Who and Bros stars Matt and Luke Goss made it a star-studded affair.
Jodie Comer, up for best actress for her role in Killing Eve, said she was “overwhelmed” after meeting Cumberbatch.
“I’m still pinching myself but it’s been an incredible year.”
Cumberbatch, up for best actor for his role in Patrick Melrose, said: “I’m shaking. It’s weird, embarrassing.
“You can’t do everything for everybody. I try to look for someone who looks like they might have stayed up all night or is getting crushed.
“I’m very proud of British television at the moment, we’re going through a period of domestic golden age of television.”
He said of the Bros documentary: “I did watch the end of it and my wife who was obsessed with them as a teenager is very excited to meet them. She’s going to hate me for saying that.”
Wilson, who is up for a best actress award, joked: “I part hope I don’t win so I don’t have to say anything.”
Asked about her red carpet highlights, she said: “I saw two very tanned looking men went past. I thought: ‘Who are they?’ It’s Bros, heroes of my childhood.”
Ant stepped away from his TV roles after being arrested for drink-driving, before returning to work on Britain’s Got Talent earlier this year Dec attended the Baftas solo last year.
Speaking on the official Bafta red carpet, Ant acknowledged his return, saying: “It’s nice to be back on the red carpet, lovely, thank you.
He joked of the pair’s smart appearance: “It’s easy for men. It takes a very funny looking man to not look good in a tuxedo.”
Dec said “we’ve been around for a long time” and Ant joked they were like a “familiar, comfy settee,” adding: “You know what you’re getting.”
Dec added: “Like family, you can’t choose your family … people tolerate us, I think”
Bodyguard actress Hawes said: “It’s lovely to be here. It’s still a bit of a surprise.”
On the success of Bodyguard, Hawes told red carpet host Clara Amfo: “It was just fantastic, the reaction to the whole show. Richard (Madden) and I had such a lovely time on it together.
Waller-Bridge, the creator of Killing Eve, said: “Obviously I’m rooting for Jodie (Comer). What an amazing bunch we’ve got up there.”
Asked about what she would say if Killing Eve wins best drama, she said: “I’ll remember the important people to thank and then the rest, you have to read the room a bit.
“You don’t want to tempt fate either. ”
Andrew Scott, who starred as the Priest in Waller-Bridge hit Fleabag, said: “This is the first time we’ve seen each other since the show aired.”
Line of Duty star Compston said: “It’s a bit crazy. I’m chuffed with the response and delighted it’s over.
“It’s really exciting. We’ve had this very loyal fanbase since series one and it’s got bigger and bigger.
“As long as Jed (Mercurio) doesn’t kill me off, you know you’re going to be coming back.
“TV has really caught up with film. The standard of writing is fantastic. It’s an exciting thing to be part of.”
Great British Bake Off star Prue Leith was also at the event but was not on message.
“I hardly watch television, which is not the thing to say. I’ll be in trouble again.
“We have only just started watching Game Of Thrones – series one, episode one, last weekend – so I am seven years out of date.”
Bake Off winner Rahul Mandal could not believe he was on the red carpet, saying: “It’s really an honour and privilege. I never thought last year I’d be here.
“It’s amazing … it’s surreal.”
Coronation Street actress Worth – Weatherfield matriarch Gail – is up for top TV moment for her moving monologue on the suicide of Aidan Connor (Shayne Ward).
“It’s not just me, there’s a whole load of people goes into making that moment … it was so easy to do, such a beautiful speech, I don’t think I can take credit for that,” she said.
“It’s lovely to be nominated, it doesn’t matter about the rest. It’s such fun ….
“The Street are very good at taking difficult topics and making people talk about them. That’s what they did with the suicide.”
Choirmaster Gareth Malone will open the Virgin Media British Academy Television Awards with pupils from Kensington Aldridge Academy, which is located near Grenfell Tower.
He said he had experienced “sleepless nights” ahead of the performance.
“I’ve done a lot of big performances,” he said outside the Royal Festival Hall.
“This feels quite terrifying. It’s a big responsibility but we’ve been working hard.
“Today is a celebration of how strong young people can be.”
Ballas, also on the red carpet, said of her role as Strictly Come Dancing chief judge: “One never quite gets used to it.
“I’m very excited for the upcoming series and of course we’re going to have a new judge. The whole thing is going to be spectacular as usual.”
“I just think Great Britain does everything the best really. Everything about British TV is amazing.”
Steve Pemberton, who is up for a Bafta for his role in Inside No. 9, said: It’s nerve-wracking, a bit like a cross between a wedding and an awards ceremony.”
Waller-Bridge’s Killing Eve leads the nominations, with its two main stars – Comer and Sandra Oh – in the running for leading actress.
Just some of the stars you'll see at the @virginmedia #BAFTATV Awards this Sunday! Who can you spot in the crowd? 🤔🤩📺 https://t.co/bQu0svkIxP pic.twitter.com/fwYw9QzWrl
— BAFTA (@BAFTA) May 9, 2019
The darkly comic crime drama also has nods in the supporting actor and actress categoriesfor Kim Bodnia and Fiona Shaw.
The show, which first aired in the US on BBC America, is nominated despite Bafta’s own rules stating that a programme must have premiered in the UK.