If you needed proof that the BAFTAs operate on a slightly different, and delightfully chaotic, wavelength than other award season shows, look no further than Alan Cumming offering Kylie Jenner and Timothée Chalamet aggressively British snacks in the middle of the ceremony.
With the 98th Academy Awards looming on the 2026 TV schedule, the BAFTAs unfolded last night and promptly delivered one of the season’s most unexpected moments. The interaction, captured and shared by BBC iPlayer on Instagram, quickly made the rounds online. It’s hard to imagine a scene more quintessentially BAFTAs. In the now-viral reel (which you can watch below), Cumming strolls through the audience clutching a wicker basket of snacks, radiating the energy of a mischievous theatre kid who somehow wandered into the Dolby Theatre and decided to start handing out pub snacks.
Kylie Jenner, looking equal parts amused and slightly stunned, played along as the Nightcrawler performer brandished what is essentially a very British jam-filled biscuit the size of a saucer. Or, as Cummings hilariously put it:
Timothée and Kylie, can I interest you in a packet of scampi fries? Yeah? Maybe Kylie, have you ever had your gums around a giant Jammie Dodger? You have now, darling.
The scampi fries mention may have been the most UK part of the bit. For the uninitiated, scampi fries are prawn-flavored pub snacks that smell exactly as intense as you’re imagining. Offering them to two of the most photographed people in the world, dressed in eveningwear, is the kind of cultural chaos that feels distinctly British.
Where the Oscars might lean polished and the Golden Globes lean tipsy, the BAFTAs seem to revel in theatrical absurdity. Alan Cumming, of course, is uniquely suited to that energy. A seasoned stage performer and Traitors host with impeccable comedic timing, he delivered the snack commentary with just enough wink to keep it playful rather than awkward.
It certainly helped that real-life romantic partners Jenner and Chalamet were clearly in on the joke. The couple, who’ve been stepping out together more frequently throughout this awards season, looked relaxed and amused, smiling and playing along rather than shrinking from the spotlight. That ease is what made the whole bit click instead of cringe.
Beyond the inevitable meme potential, though, the moment underscored why international awards shows can feel so delightfully unpredictable. There’s often less rigidity, more room for theatrical whimsy, and a willingness to let things get a little strange. Sometimes, that strangeness is exactly what elevates a broadcast from polished to memorable.
Case in point: I definitely didn’t have Paddington Bear presenting an award on my bingo card, but that happened, too. And honestly? It was pure charm. The segment was beautifully staged, with the beloved, red-hatted bear delivering his lines with gentle sincerity and even referencing advice from his Aunt Lucy, a key emotional anchor in the critically acclaimed 2024’s Paddington in Peru. A particularly sweet touch came when he noted a historic first for the ceremony, adding an extra layer of warmth to an already adorable moment.
In a sea of glamorous gowns, emotional speeches and meticulously choreographed red carpet arrivals, it was pub snacks and a cuddly, hatted bear who ended up stealing the spotlight. If anything, here’s hoping this year’s Academy Awards take a page from the BAFTAs’ playbook and embrace a little well-timed whimsy.
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