I chatted to Celia Imrie about Seth Rogen’s Bafta joke – here’s what she said

Celia Imrie was undeniably – and deservedly – one of the standout stars of the 2026 Bafta TV Awards. So having the chance to speak to her on the night felt incredibly special.

As I sat near the back of the auditorium at London’s Royal Festival, I could feel the overflowing adoration for her every time her infamous fart was mentioned… which was a lot.

It’s been six months since the actress let rip on Celebrity Traitors. During a challenge, the Calendar Girls star admitted to Claudia Winkleman: ‘I just farted, Claudia. I’m so sorry. It’s nerves, but I always own up.’ The moment was immediately classed as British TV gold.

And last night, the spirit of her flatulence lived on at the glitzy Baftas.

Having been invited by Prime Video, I was in fits of laughter when Alan Carr joked about being in Celia’s firing line, and when Nick Mohammed wafted at the air as he stood next to her on stage. Ever the class act, Celia took every jibe at her expense on the chin.

But the most unexpected shoutout came when the International prize was awarded to the Apple TV show The Studio, with Hollywood legend Seth Rogen gracing the stage to accept the prestigious accolade.

Looking down at Celia as she sat with her Celebrity Traitors co-stars, clad elegantly in emerald green, he quipped: ‘I assume this woman in the green dress is a very skilled and talented woman. All I know is that she farted on a reality show. 

‘I’m interested in your other work now, obviously – what else have you done?’

The auditorium erupted in laughter at Seth’s ignorance. The idea of anyone being unaware of Celia Imrie is utterly baffling. Even if you aren’t a Celebrity Traitors fan, her work speaks for itself. Bridget Jones, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, The Borrowers (a personal childhood favourite of mine), Absolutely Fabulous… to name but a few.

Despite the incredulity over Seth’s lack of recognition of Celia, it felt clear to me that he meant no harm by his remark. I wouldn’t be one to excuse his behaviour if he was genuinely rude, but it honestly didn’t seem that way at all when I witnessed his speech in person. The entire audience was laughing, and it appeared as though Celia took it well, too.

Later on in the evening, I got to speak to her about it face-to-face.

This morning, when I saw people online calling for Seth to apologise to Celia, I was genuinely surprised. 

Apparently, Seth’s first introduction to Celia Imrie was her Celebrity Traitors fart. So, is it really that shocking that he would join in the silliness of laughing about it, while also acknowledging her talent?

Following the ceremony and the three-course meal at Royal Festival Hall, I was mingling among the star-studded guests (a surreal experience in itself) when I spotted Celia. As I approached her and asked for a photo, which she kindly obliged, I mentioned that she’d received several shout-outs throughout the evening.

Celia then brought up Seth on her own accord, mentioning that he didn’t know who she was, to which I responded that he absolutely should.

She wasn’t giving me the air of someone who was offended. Rather, she seemed very at ease, smiling as we chatted briefly and had a selfie, and I told her how much I admired her work.

For all I know, perhaps she was concealing that she felt offended by Seth not knowing who she was. After all, she is an extremely talented actress. But I do think that anyone watching at home who found his remark rude is perhaps exaggerating how his speech unfolded.

I hope that Celia didn’t feel slighted. To me, Seth’s shoutout simply highlighted the fact that she was the woman of the night. 

The 2026 Bafta TV Awards is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.

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