Khalid Abdalla scatters 14,000 sequins at Bafta TV awards in anti-war message

The British actor scattered 14,000 red sequins at the London event, with each representing “a child that has been killed in Gaza” during the conflict which began on October 7.

Abdalla, who played Dodi Fayed in The Crown, wrote the words “stop arming Israel” on his hand and wore the Artists4Ceasefire red pin, which calls for a ceasefire in Gaza and Israel.

On X, the 43-year-old actor wrote: “Every one of these 14,000 sequins is a child that has been killed in Gaza.

“Multiply that by 2.46 and you get the current death toll, over 34,500. STOP ARMING ISRAEL.”

It is not the first time Abdalla has made a political protest. He wrote the words “never again” on his hand at the Emmy Awards in January in reference to the Israel-Hamas war.

Abdalla was among several stars showing support for the Artists4Ceasefire campaign at the Bafta TV Awards on Sunday.

Succession star Brian Cox wore the red pin against the stark contrast of his all-white suit, while TV presenter and comedian Joe Lycett also appeared to have the pin on alongside his flowing silver cape and Elizabethan-style high ruff neck piece.

Steve Coogan, known for starring as Alan Partridge, and Jimmy Savile in The Reckoning, also sported the pin.

The actor has previously condemned Hamas over what he called their “horrific and brutal” invasion of Israel as he defended a letter he signed to campaign for humanitarian support for Gaza.

Luke Rollason, who starred in TV series Extraordinary, also wore the pin alongside a cat-shaped bag in a nod to his character Jizzlord.