This year’s Bafta Television Awards will be broadcast from behind closed doors after originally being delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The honours are usually handed out at a glittering ceremony which is attended by the biggest television stars in the UK.

But this year, Richard Ayoade will host the event from a closed studio with the winners to give their acceptance speeches virtually.

The event had been scheduled to take place on May 17, but it will now happen on June 31.

With nominations being announced, the qualification dates for the programmes have remained the same.

In a statement, actor, presenter and writer Ayoade joked: “I am as surprised as you are that this is still going ahead”.

While many of this year’s major film and television awards – including the Oscars, Bafta Film Awards and the National Television Awards – took place before the virus began to wreak havoc throughout the world.