Here’s why the BAFTA red carpet was reportedly shut down

We didn’t see that coming…

We didn’t see that coming…

The 2019 BAFTAs is officially underway, with A-listers and royalty taking to the red carpet.

From Claire Foy in Oscar De La Renta and Amy Adams in Prada to Glenn Close in McQueen, all eyes are on the outfits at the Royal Albert Hall.

But according to one A-lister, there were some complications on this evening’s red carpet, with it reported to have been temporarily shut down.

That’s right. In a pre-ceremony show, Rachel Weisz opened up to Dermot O’Leary, with the 48-year-old actress nominated for her supporting role in The Favourite this evening.

(Image credit: Rex)

When Dermot pointed out ‘Time’s a-ticking!’, Rachel replied: ‘I know, I know. The red carpet got shut down for ages.

‘Where were you? Doing laps?’ Dermot joked, to which Rachel replied: ‘I was in the car down there waiting!’

While it hasn’t formally been explained why the red carpet was temporarily closed, it is thought that it could have been for security measures, especially with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in attendance, with Prince William set to present an award later in the evening.

Usually some of the last to take to the red carpet, the royals walked through earlier in the evening, with a long stream of celebrities reported to have arrived behind them.

We didn’t see this coming.

Jenny Proudfoot
Contributing Features Editor

Jenny Proudfoot is an award-winning journalist, specialising in lifestyle, culture, entertainment, international development and politics. After working at Marie Claire UK for seven years - rising from intern to Features Editor - she is now a freelance contributor to the News and Features section.

In 2021, Jenny was named as a winner on the PPA's '30 under 30' list, and was also listed as a rising star in journalism.