With the Covid-19 pandemic and resulting lockdown continuing to severely restrict normal life, it will be no surprise to hear that 2020’s BASE Awards have been rescheduled, with plans well advanced to now deliver the event in the fourth quarter. It remains the full and clear intention of the BASE team to celebrate the category’s successes from 2019 and to provide a moment in 2020 to gather and raise a glass with colleagues if it is possible to do so safely.
The pandemic is clearly a complex and evolving scenario but it is hoped that the effective implementation of social distancing measures and the heroic work of the NHS will see a version of normality begin to return as summer gives way to autumn and beyond. It is with that hope in mind that we are announcing the new date for the BASE Awards as Thursday, November 12th, 2020. Clearly, with more than 500 guests expected to attend, the new date will remain under review as advice on and sentiment towards large public gatherings continues to evolve. The BASE team anticipates that it will sense check the viability of a November event in early August.
While the event will still be taking place at Camden’s iconic Roundhouse, the new date isn’t the only change – we are genuinely excited to be able to confirm that actor, writer and comedian Sally Phillips will be your brand new host for the evening. Having exploded onto screens in the late 1990s with the brilliant Smack The Pony, Phillips has cemented a position as one of the country’s best-loved stars of both the big and small screens, with defining roles as Shazzer in the Bridget Jones series and Tilly in Miranda serving as a gateway to international renown in hits as diverse as HBO’s Veep and ITV’s sumptuous Vanity Fair. We’re sure she will bring a fresh and positive energy to the night we’re looking forward to sharing with you all.
We are proposing that tickets and sponsorship packages that have already been confirmed will automatically carry over to the new date, although we would welcome feedback as to the onward, appropriate management of further ticket sales.
Finally, the shortlisted nominees for this year’s Awards will be announced on Thursday, July 2nd. The announcement underlines that, following the success of the digital judging sessions and the time and effort that has gone into all of this year’s entries, the BASE team remains committed to celebrating your successes regardless of what else the pandemic may place in the way. In the meantime, we’d like to wish you all the very best of luck and good health, and look forward to seeing you all soon.
