Elz the Witch is hosting the 2026 BAFTA Games Awards and when indy100 spoke with her about the exciting announcement, it became clear within the first few seconds just how much it means.
And not just on a personal level – but also having the chance to show what women can achieve in the gaming industry plus what digital and content creators can do too.
Elz the Witch started up her YouTube channel in 2018, completely pivoting away from a stable career in IT, an area which she had also studied in at university.
But she inspiringly took the plunge after realising it wasn’t really what she wanted to do. With gaming being a huge love of hers, she went for it.
And it paid off massively.
Fast forward to the present day and Elz is not only a hugely successful content creator and streamer but has a weekly show on Kerrang, her own podcast and is a presenter, with work in the world of sport including productions for the Premier League, Manchester City and the Sidemen charity match.
Out of all these huge highlights for Elz though, it’s hosting the BAFTA Games Awards that stands out above them all.
2026 BAFTA Games Awards takes place on 17 April / Klara Simonova, Getty Images for BAFTA
“It’s amazing, full transparency, I’m petrified but in the best way,” she told indy100.
“To even be involved, presenting an award at last year’s show, was a dream come true so to be here a year later about to host the entire awards is something I’d never even considered in my trajectory – but I am so excited to do it.
“It’s really showing how digital and content creators are intertwined in the industry and I think it’s so important to show we’re here, we make a big impact and I want to inspire other people to do the same thing.
“I’ve gone from my flat in Lewisham building a PC, talking to a wall, uploading videos on YouTube and here I am seven-and-a-half years later.
“On a personal level, standing in a room with the top people in the games industry who have contributed a lot to my life, as gaming is such a huge part of my life personally as well, like when I’m having a bad day to log on and play some games to keep me sane, and to be in the same room celebrating these games, the studios and the people that make them is really special to me.
“It’s got to be at the very top for me.”
And she’s flying the flag high for women in the industry too.
Elz the Witch is flying the flag for women as well as content and digital creators in the gaming industry / BAFTA
Growing up in the 90s, it was at school when she encountered her first case of being stereotyped in relation to gaming.
Elz’ favourite game of all time is Final Fantasy VII and she loved growing up playing games with her sister.
However growing up in the 90s, it was at school when her love for gaming was questioned purely for being a girl.
She said: “We had these old computers and there was this racing game – our teacher said he was going to time everyone’s first lap and write results on the board, so I thought ‘challenge accepted’.
“I got the fastest time and I remember all the boys in the class just turned and were so angry a girl had beaten them on the game.
“I remember it so clearly because it was my first experience of loving video games at home with my sister and having no judgement about that – but that was the first time I felt others were like ‘you’re a girl, why have you got the fastest time on this racing game?’
“When I set up my YouTube channel when I was 26, I thought back to that girl and thought there wasn’t a blueprint – I know there were women working in the video games industry then but because it wasn’t as easily visible and the online world didn’t exist in the way it does now, I didn’t have anyone to look up to which would have helped me flourish.
“So I did it because I wanted to squash this stereotype of what a gamer looks like and what you should interested in. Just because you’re into video games doesn’t mean you can’t love music, fashion and other things as well.”
And Elz wants to inspire and encourage more women to get involved in the gaming industry.
“Being a host of the awards show as a woman and having come through trials and tribulations in my whole life getting to this point, it’s really important to showcase the women in the industry,” she said.
“I know we’ve come a long way with how many women are involved and have jobs and are content creators but I think there’s still a long way to go to.
“That’s an important thing for me, to inspire more women to get involved in the games industry.”
The 2026 BAFTA Games Awards takes place on 17 April at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London.
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