• The 2020 Virgin Media British Academy Television Awards were held at the Television Centre in London, England, on Friday.
  • At the event’s red carpet, “Normal People” stars Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones held a tape measure between themselves to ensure they were standing six feet apart.
  • They also posed without the tape measure while still standing far away from each other.
  • Mescal wore Dior and Cartier for the event, while Edgar-Jones opted for a Miu Miu dress and Jimmy Choo heels.
  • Visit Insider’s homepage for more stories.

At one of the first major red-carpet events since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, celebrities posed with a tape measure to ensure social distancing.

On Friday, the 2020 Virgin Media British Academy Television Awards were held at the Television Centre in London, England. “Normal People” stars Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones were in attendance, and posed together on the red carpet.

They did so, however, with a yellow tape measure between them.

paul mescal daisy edgar jones

Foto: The "Normal People" stars held a tape measure to ensure six feet of distance. Source: David M. Benett/Getty Images

As seen in red-carpet photos, Edgar-Jones couldn't help but laugh while holding the tape measure.

baftas

Foto: Daisy Edgar-Jones laughs while holding the tape measure. Source: Dominic Lipinski - PA Images/Getty Images

Still, keeping a safe distance from others is crucial during this time. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, you should stand at least 6 feet away from people "who are not from your household in both indoor and outdoor spaces." In doing so, you can avoid coming into contact with infected droplets from coughs, sneezes, and talking, according to the CDC.

The costars eventually ditched the tape measure, but still stood far away from each other while posing for photos.

The resulting images look drastically different than standard red-carpet photos, in which celebrities are often seen hugging and standing side by side.

social distancing red carpet

Foto: They also posed six-feet apart without the tape measure. Source: David M. Benett/Getty Images

Despite the social-distancing measures in place, both Mescal and Edgar-Jones were able to make fashion statements on the red carpet. On Instagram, Mescal credited Dior and Cartier with his formal-meets-casual look, which included a gray suit paired with white sneakers and a matching T-shirt.

Edgar-Jones, on the other hand, looked stunning in a sleeveless Miu Miu dress with a bedazzled top and scalloped, ankle-length skirt. She also donned a $1,450 pair of Jimmy Choo heels, which were black with a rhinestone, bow strap.

On Instagram, Edgar-Jones thanked Hourglass Cosmetics for creating her red-carpet beauty look, and said it felt "so lovely to wear something other than slippers."

daisy edgar jones makeup

Foto: Daisy Edgar-Jones gets her makeup done with products from Hourglass Cosmetics. Source: Daisy Edgar-Jones/Instagram

Other celebrities at the awards event took additional measures to ensure their safety. Actor Adrian Lester, for example, wore a blue mask when arriving at the Television Centre.

adrian lester

Foto: Actor Adrian Lester wears a mask at the awards event. Source: David M. Benett/Getty Images

Others, including comedian Aisling Bea, comedian Richard Ayoade, and TV presenter Stacey Dooley, posed alone on the red carpet.