- Digital powerhouse and lifelong player, Elz to host the world’s most prestigious celebration of excellence and creative achievement in games
- The 2026 BAFTA Games Awards will take place on Friday, 17 April 2026, at the Southbank Centre’s Queen Elizabeth Hall, London
Today, BAFTA announces that Elz will host the 2026 BAFTA Games Award. Taking place on Friday, 17 April 2026, at the Southbank Centre’s Queen Elizabeth Hall, London, the ceremony celebrates the extraordinary talent and innovation within the global games community.
A digital powerhouse and prominent figure in the games and entertainment space, Elz has built a massive global following, reaching millions of players through her YouTube and social platforms. Paving the way for a new generation of women in games, Elz has successfully challenged industry preconceptions to become one of the UK’s most versatile and in-demand broadcasters. Her extensive credits span mainstream giants including BBC’s MOTDx, KISS XTRA and Sky Sports, as well as hosting major international events for the Premier League, Wimbledon eChamps and the FIFA eWorld Cup. Having risen to prominence with her engaging content on titles like The Sims and Fortnite, Elz now commands a unique position at the intersection of games, sport and popular culture, recently hosting the record-breaking Sidemen Charity Match, which saw 90,000 fans in a sold-out Wembley Stadium and over 8 million viewers online.
Emma Baehr, executive director, Awards & Content at BAFTA, said: “We are delighted to welcome Elz as our host for the 22nd BAFTA Games Awards. Elz is a formidable talent with an infectious passion for games, she brings together the worlds of games and entertainment so is perfectly placed to lead our celebration of the year’s very best games.”
Elz host of the 2026 BAFTA Games Awards, said: “I am truly honoured to be hosting this year’s BAFTA Games Awards. Gaming is my ‘reason why’ for most aspects in my life. The shy 8 year old girl picking up a controller for the first time would’ve never imagined standing on stage honouring the incredible people who keep this industry alive. As only the second woman to host the awards, and someone who started their journey in a living room talking to a camera, I hope to inspire others to keep breaking down doors and to represent a new generation of gamers. Let’s celebrate some games!”
The BAFTA Games Awards marks a significant milestone in the international awards calendar. The Games Awards are supported by BAFTA’s official partners: EE, Epic Games, PlayStation and AGM.
The ceremony will be held at the Southbank Centre’s Queen Elizabeth Hall in London on Friday 17 April 2026, and streamed on BAFTA’s Twitch and YouTube channels. Content will be available to watch on @BAFTA socials.
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About BAFTA
BAFTA’s mission as a charity is to champion the creative and cultural importance of the screen arts across film, games and television. Through its Awards ceremonies and year-round programme of talent initiatives and learning events that include masterclasses, lectures, scholarships, bursaries and mentoring schemes in the UK and North America, BAFTA identifies and celebrates excellence, discovers, inspires and nurtures new screen talent, and enables learning and creative collaboration. For more, visit baftadev.alchemy.construction. BAFTA is a registered charity (no. 216726).
