BRITISH ACADEMY OF FILM AND TELEVISION ARTS LOS ANGELES(R) TO HONOR BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH AT THE 2013 BAFTA LOS ANGELES BRITANNIA AWARDS PRESENTED BY BBC AMERICA ON NOVEMBER 9, 2013

BROADCAST TO AIR ON BBC AMERICA NOVEMBER 10, 2013

Los Angeles, September 5, 2013 - The British Academy of Film and Television Arts Los Angeles(R) (BAFTA Los Angeles) is pleased to announce it will honor actor Benedict Cumberbatch at the 2013 BAFTA Los Angeles Britannia Awards presented by BBC AMERICA on Saturday, November 9, 2013 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. For the second year in a row, the BAFTA Los Angeles Britannia Awards will be broadcast on BBC AMERICA, airing in primetime November 10, 2013 at 8pm ET as a two-hour special including footage of the Britannia Awards Red Carpet.

The Britannia Awards are BAFTA Los Angeles' highest accolade, a celebration of achievements honoring individuals and companies that have dedicated their careers to advancing the entertainment arts. Benedict Cumberbatch will receive The Britannia Award for British Artist of the Year. He will join previously announced honorees George Clooney, who will receive the Stanley Kubrick Britannia Award for Excellence in Film; Kathryn Bigelow, who will receive the John Schlesinger Britannia Award for Excellence in Directing; and Sir Ben Kingsley who will receive the Albert R. Broccoli Britannia Award for Worldwide Contribution to Entertainment. Additional honorees will be announced in the coming weeks.

"Benedict Cumberbatch has had a remarkable year, and as one of the UK's leading talents he truly exemplifies the continued respect that British talents have garnered around the globe," said Gary Dartnall, Chairman, BAFTA Los Angeles. "Masterfully performing in TV, Film and Theatre and never failing to astound us with his talent and versatility, BAFTA Los Angeles is proud to honor Benedict as our British Artist of the Year."

"The brilliance, intelligence and charisma of rising star Benedict Cumberbatch has secured his place among the acclaimed British actors who have commanded the screen over the years," commented Britannia Award Co-Chairs Rebecca Segal and Deborah Kolar.

The Britannia Award for British Artist of the Year pays tribute to a talented British artist whose outstanding performances in a year have demonstrated the high quality of their craftsmanship. Whether an emerging talent, or an established name, the British Artist of the Year honors a person who represents the best of UK's talent. Prior recipients include Daniel Craig, Kate Winslet, Tilda Swinton, Helena Bonham Carter, Emily Blunt, Michael Sheen, Rachel Weisz, and more.

The Britannia Awards are presented annually at a gala dinner, where peers and colleagues celebrate the work and accomplishments of the year's distinguished honorees. Proceeds from the gala ceremony support BAFTA Los Angeles' on-going education, scholarship, community outreach and archival projects.

BBC AMERICA

BBC AMERICA delivers U.S. audiences high-quality, innovative and intelligent programming. Established in 1998, it has been the launch pad for talent embraced by American mainstream pop culture, including Ricky Gervais, Gordon Ramsay, Graham Norton, and successful programming formats including ground-breaking non-scripted television like Top Gear and top-rated science-fiction like Doctor Who. Owned by BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the BBC, BBC AMERICA has attracted both critical acclaim and major awards including an Emmy(R), five Golden Globes(R) and eleven Peabody Awards. The channel attracts one of cable's most affluent and educated audiences and is available on cable and satellite TV in more than 80.4 million homes. It broadcasts in both standard and high-definition, with content available On Demand across all major digital platforms. Online, www.bbcamerica.com is the place to go to dig deeper into pop culture with a British twist.

BAFTA Los Angeles

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts Los Angeles is the only Anglo-American professional organization founded to promote and advance original work in film, television and interactive media. BAFTA Los Angeles serves as the bridge between the Hollywood and British production and entertainment business communities, and provides exclusive access to screenings, Q&As with creative talent, produces seminars with leading UK film and television executives and the Heritage Archive, featuring broadcast-quality interviews with distinguished British members of the film and television industries, giving life to the preservation of the UK film industry for future generations.

Maintaining a long tradition of recognizing the finest filmmaking and television talent, BAFTA Los Angeles hosts a series of events, including the prestigious Britannia Awards, the Awards Season Film and Television Tea Parties in January and September and the annual Garden Party.

A commitment to professional and community education is at the heart of the Academy's charitable remit. BAFTA Los Angeles hosts the Student Film Awards and has an active Scholarship Program offering financial support and mentorship to UK students studying in the U.S. The Academy created The Inner City Cinema, a screening program providing free screenings of theatrical films to inner city areas not served by theatres. The success of Inner City Cinema has led to further free screening programs extended to multiple inner city parks through the Academy's work with both the County of Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation (Parks After Dark) and The City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks (Teen Summer Camps).

For more information on the British Academy of Film and Television Arts Los Angeles, visit www.baftala.org.