BBC dominates RTS programme awards

chris

The BBC was the big winner at the Royal Television Society programme awards last night, picking up 15 gongs including two for Andrew Marr's History of Modern Britain.

BBC shows and stars dominated proceedings, taking the majority of the 27 awards, although Channel 4 pulled in the biggest haul for any individual network with seven.

For the BBC, BBC2 did best with five awards, with Marr's show leading the way taking best history series and best presenter.

The channel also won the best entertainment programme prize for Stephen Fry panel show QI, beating off competition from BBC1's Strictly Come Dancing and The Armstrong and Miller Show. It also scooped best features and lifestyle series for Top Gear and best single drama for Stuart: A Life Backwards.

Channel 4's haul included best formatted documentary for Meet the Natives; best drama serial for Britz; best observational documentary for You're Not Splitting Up My Family and best daytime show for Come Dine With Me.

Matthew Macfadyen took best actor for his portrayal of a paedophile in Channel 4 drama Secret Life, while best comedy performance went to David Mitchell and Robert Webb for Peep Show. Channel 4 sitcom The IT Crowd won best comedy writer for Graham Linehan.

The broadcaster's digital youth channel E4 also won best digital channel programme for Fonejacker.

BBC digital channels also had a good night, with BBC3's The Mighty Boosh winning best situation comedy and comedy drama, beating The Think of It and Peep Show, while BBC4 took home three gongs including best international show for Flight of the Conchords.

ITV won four awards including best soap and continuing drama for The Bill, which beat off Coronation Street and Holby City, and Harry Hill for best entertainment performance for his TV Burp ITV1 show, beating Ant and Dec and Stephen Fry.

Sally Hawkins won best actress for ITV1's Jane Austen adaptation Persuasion.

BBC1 won four awards, including best drama writer for Cranford's Heidi Thomas, and best drama series for The Street, which triumphed in the category for the second year running.

The lifetime achievement award went to the BBC's Sir David Attenborough, while the judges' award was given to Glenwyn Benson, the BBC's controller of knowledge who stepped down in November to head the corporation's response to Ofcom's public service broadcasting review