BAFTA 2022 host Richard Ayoade takes savage dig at Will Smith’s Oscars slap

British actor Richard Ayoade hosted the glamorous night of the 2022 BAFTA TV Awards on Sunday. The comedian wasted no time in taking a hilarious dig at Will Smith’s infamous Oscar’s slap to Chris Rock in his opening monologue.

Presenting the show at the Royal Festival Hall in London, Ayoade told the audience, “BAFTA is celebrating 75 years at the heart of our industry, even though industries don’t have hearts.”

“In 1955, there were only six categories. Barely enough time to get up from your seat and slap someone before the whole ceremony would be over.”

As the audience laughed, he added, “Do not worry your overly-filmed heads, I’m not going to use your faces as punchlines or punchbags, you’ve suffered enough. No-one works harder than us, apart from people in other professions.”

“I’m putting in a couple of hours today, I’m exhausted,” said Ayoade.

It’s been over a month since the King Richard actor struck Rock at the Academy Awards after he made a joke about Smith’s wife Jada Pinkett Smith, which alluded to her shaved head.

Following the shocking incident, the Pursuit of Happyness actor resigned from The Academy and been banned from attending the Oscars for 10 years after slapping Rock in March.