Bafta Post Ceremony Dinner Leaves Guests Underwhelmed and Stars Leaving Early at London Royal Festival Hall

For years, the Bafta post-ceremony dinner at London’s Royal Festival Hall has been the crown jewel of British film celebrations—lavish tables, theatrical lighting, and an energy that could rival the awards show itself.

This year, however, the magic seemed to have fizzled out.

Guests arrived expecting a glittering night of champagne and camaraderie, but instead found half-empty tables, plates of untouched food, and a muted atmosphere that made the ballroom feel oddly quiet for an A-list gathering.

“They’re cutting costs,” one insider confided.

“Usually, the tables are spectacular—lavish centrepieces reflecting the nominated films.

This year, it felt like fake foliage and tacky lamps.”

Even with Bafta-branded Taittinger and miniature Don Julio tequila bottles at every place setting, the sparkle was missing.

Conversations were polite but subdued, the usual buzz of post-ceremony excitement strangely absent.

Sustainability Takes Center Stage, but Guests Are Lukewarm

This year, Bafta leaned heavily into sustainability.

Caterers Caper & Berry prepared a mostly plant-based menu, designed to be “indulgent and inclusive.”

Vegan canapés, a plant-based starter, and meat-free main options formed the evening’s backbone.

While the concept might have been noble, the execution fell flat.

Guests were encouraged to mingle while nibbling celeriac and apple mille-feuille, followed by mushroom toast and roasted maple pumpkin rolls.

The social dining approach left many feeling underwhelmed.

“The food was really bad,” one guest admitted. “I only ate a few bites.

Compared to previous years, it’s gone downhill.” Another added, “The portions were tiny! You can’t believe they’d serve this to some of Hollywood’s finest.”

Stars Come and Go: Timothee Chalamet and Others Make Swift Exits

Notable absences became the story of the evening.

Best leading actor nominee Timothee Chalamet arrived with Kylie Jenner but didn’t linger.

Marty Supreme, Chalamet’s film with 11 nominations, ended up empty-handed, giving the actor little reason to stick around.

Other stars like Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Hudson, Emma Stone, and Kirsten Dunst were spotted briefly but disappeared before most guests had finished their main courses.

A source revealed DiCaprio had shifted to a private gathering elsewhere in London.

Irish actor Paul Mescal, narrowly losing out to Sean Penn, and his girlfriend Gracie Abrams made a brief appearance.

Moments of genuine warmth emerged, such as Mescal embracing Hamnet co-star Jessie Buckley, drawing smiles from nearby guests.

Yet even Buckley, clutching her newly won leading actress Bafta, soon moved to an after-party at the private Mayfair club Oswald’s.

Dessert and Drinks Fail to Rekindle Spark

By dessert, the evening’s energy had all but evaporated.

Waiters served popcorn-topped chocolate mousse sundaes, lemon and white chocolate meringues, and chocolate-black forest gateau ganache in paper tubs—a playful nod to cinema. But guests were unimpressed.

“I tried them all because no one was eating them,” said one diner. “They didn’t taste nice.

And so tacky in paper cups!” Another joked, “This must be the most glamorous paper cup I’ve ever eaten from.”

Bottles of untouched alcohol lined the tables. The exodus was complete: not a single A-lister remained by the end of dessert.

The contrast with the ceremony itself—electric with gasps and applause—was stark.

Is the Post-Bafta Dinner Still Relevant?

The post-ceremony gala has long been a highlight of the British film calendar.

But this year’s evening raised a new question: have the stars decided the real party is elsewhere?

With after-parties at exclusive private clubs drawing away the very guests who once defined the dinner’s glamour, Bafta’s flagship evening might need to rethink its appeal.

What’s Next?

Bafta organizers are likely to face tough decisions for next year.

Will they return to lavish, cinematic tablescapes to recapture the magic, or will sustainability and cost-cutting remain priorities at the risk of losing star attendance? Early signs suggest the post-ceremony dinner may need a major reinvention if it wants to remain the must-attend night in British film.

Summary

The 2026 Bafta post-ceremony dinner struggled to live up to expectations, with half-empty tables, subdued conversation, and brief appearances from major stars.

Sustainability-themed dining and small portions left guests underwhelmed, while A-listers quickly departed for private after-parties.

The event’s relevance as the pinnacle of British film celebrations is now in question, and organizers face a challenge to restore its former sparkle.