Bafta stars asked to wear black in sexual harassment protest

Penelope Cruz, Mariah Carey and Clare Foy were among celebrities who wore black at the Golden Globes

Britain's biggest stars are expected to wear black on the red carpet at this year's Bafta Film awards.

The choice of attire is in support of the Time's Up initiative, the movement against sexual harassment founded by several Hollywood figures.

A letter circulated around the British film and TV industry invited those attending the Baftas to take part.

It follows a similar demonstration of support at the Golden Globe Awards earlier this year.

The request has already gathered support from UK stars expected to attend the awards and other industry figures.

The list is understood to include Emma Thompson, Daisy Ridley, Emma Watson, Gemma Arterton, Keira Knightley, Jodie Whittaker, Emilia Clarke, Noma Dumezweni, Natalie Dormer and Felicity Jones.

The letter urged guests "to wear black to the awards ceremony, to follow suit from our sisters who attended the Golden Globes".

'Silenced and marginalized'

It invited men attending the Baftas who wish to show their support for the Time's Up movement to wear "special pins and/or a button hole".

The female industry figures behind the initiative continued: "More than half of all women and nearly two-thirds of women [in the UK] aged 18 to 24 have experienced sexual harassment at work.

"We hope that those of us privileged enough to have a platform can use it to raise awareness of the experiences of women beyond our industry, whose experiences are often silenced and marginalized."

Joanna Lumley is the presenter of this year's award ceremony. It will be the first time in over a decade that the Baftas have been hosted by a woman.

The event will take place at the Royal Albert Hall on 18 February.