We attended the BIFA awards with Paul Mescal, Tom Blyth and Harris Dickinson – here's what the internet's boyfriends are really like

Lucy: Media check-in was around the back of the venue at the Regent's Park Road entrance, so once we'd made it out of the tube, we headed there to pick up our wristbands and lanyards for red carpet access. 

Following the maze of outside catering tents and fire exits, we eventually found the door and headed inside, where we were met with the madness of the dinner set-up in the main room. 

A little confusing to navigate at first, we wandered around the inside of the iconic concert space and were ultimately led up three flights of stairs and onto the media line that was on the balcony overlooking the dinner tables down below. 

We found HELLO!'s name card tacked to the edge of the pink carpet and set up our tripod. Tip sheet, mic and red sparkly question cards at the ready, all that was left to do was wait for the celebrities to arrive.

Lucy: Unfortunately, Paul only stopped for one or two interviews at the beginning of the carpet, so we didn't get to speak with him directly. 

He wasn't initially on the tip sheet, so you can imagine the room's excitement when he walked onto the step and repeat board to get his photos done before making his way to the media line for questions. 

True to style, Paul was dressed in a lavish silver silk shirt that featured a necktie and a navy suit. Being totally honest, he was shorter in person than I had imagined him to be, but was as smiley and polite as he seemed in other interview clips I had watched of him. 

Iona and I managed to catch a closer glimpse of him as he walked past us. He was being ushered away towards the exit by his PR and politely declined any more interviews as he went.

Lucy: Harris Dickinson was the person I was most excited to speak to, but alas, it wasn't meant to be. Earlier this year, he made his directorial debut with Urchin, which was nominated for six BIFAs. 

We weren't alone in our excitement to see the Baby Girl star as the rest of the reporters on the carpet also crossed their fingers that the 29-year-old would stop for a chat. 

We finally saw him walk in front of the photographers and braced ourselves, questions at the ready; however, he was disappointingly uninterested in doing much press at all. 

Iona and I saw him chat with the BBC and other TV outlets and watched with sad expressions as he scurried past us, head down and disappeared behind a wall, followed by his protective publicist. 

However, I can confirm he is as handsome in person as he is on the big screen, and while he was less friendly than we thought he would be, we're still buzzing to see him play John Lennon in the upcoming Beatles biopic. 

Iona: Tom Blyth has been on my radar ever since I watched him play Coriolanus Snow in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, which was released back in 2023. Through some actor friends, I had heard through the grapevine that he was a very nice guy, so I was intrigued to finally meet him.

Honestly, I speak on behalf of Lucy and myself that he was probably the internet boyfriend of the evening. He went out of his way to talk to us and spoke to me for two minutes, letting me ask all the questions I had prepped – which is so rare on a busy media line!

I quizzed him about Wasteman and his working relationship with David Jonsson, and he told HELLO!: "You're working with one of your best mates, someone who's become your best mate over the last couple of years, and I feel very lucky to work with people that I love, but also we had to go head to head for it."

On the topic of People We Meet on Vacation, the anticipated Emily Henry adaptation airing on Netflix in January, he said stepping into a rom-com role was "fun" and he was always trying to "push himself."

If there is one thing you can tell, the 30-year-old has a lot of drive for his craft, and it is so great that he has so much versatility early on in his career.

Finally, I had to ask him about The Hunger Games, and he referenced Rachel Zegler as "another good friend; she's someone who I love." Discussing the new The Hunger Games film Sunrise on the Reaping trailer, he said it was "bittersweet" to watch as it brought back great memories.

But with his buckets of charm and many films on the horizon, I am not surprised if 2026 is the biggest year yet for Tom – and I hope he stays as humble as he came across.

Lucy: Towering over the rest of the celebrities, Alexander Skarsgard really is that tall IRL. At six foot four, he is a stunning man with impeccable fashion sense - all of which he demonstrated on the evening as he stepped up for his moment in the sun. 

Slightly underwhelmed with his blue satin shirt and black suit, I have to admit I was expecting a more outrageous outfit, considering the looks he served us for the Pillion press tour. 

However, there was no leather in sight as he joined his cast mate, Henry Melling, to chat to outlets about the biker romance that ultimately took home the biggest prize on the night. 

Flashing his best Hollywood smile, he hung around the beginning of the press line, stopping to speak to two or three reporters before he was ferried off to enjoy his dinner downstairs. 

From what we could see from our spot, he appeared friendly and was laughing and joking with reporters who struggled to conceal their blushing cheeks as the Swede leaned in to hear questions more clearly - and, we don't blame them! 

He did eventually walk past us so that we could get a better look and then followed the rest of the internet's boyfriends behind the curtain, out of sight.