BBC Dominates RTS Awards

LONDON: The Royal Television Society (RTS) has announced the winners of its 2013-14 RTS Programme Awards, with 18 nods going out to the BBC, including three honors for BBC Three, which is facing closure.

The RTS Programme Awards honor excellence across all genres of British television programming.

In the performance categories, Sarah Lancashire of Happy Valley (BBC One) won for best actress, while Tom Hollander of A Poet in New York (BBC Cymru Wales & BBC Two) was the top actor. For comedy performance, Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton of Inside No. 9 (BBC Two) were honored.

The Honourable Woman (BBC Two) took the top prize for drama serial, while season two of Line of Duty (BBC Two) won for best drama series. The winner for single drama was Murdered by My Boyfriend (BBC Three). Casualty (BBC One) was awarded for soap/continuing drama.

The winner for best scripted comedy was Harry and Paul’s Story of the Twos (BBC Two).

The international award was presented to Fargo (Channel 4), which was up against The Big Bang Theory (E4) and True Detective (Sky Atlantic).

In the way of entertainment, The Graham Norton Show (BBC One) took the RTS Programme Award. Strictly Come Dancing's Claudia Winkleman (BBC One) was recognized for her entertainment performance. Billy Connolly of Billy Connolly’s Big Send Off (ITV) received the award for best presenter.

Life & Death Row (BBC Three) was the winner for documentary series. For history, Our World War (BBC Three) received the honor. D-Day: The Heroes Return (BBC One) was recognized as the best live event. As for popular factual and features, The Island with Bear Grylls (Channel 4) was the honoree. The winner for single documentary was The Paedophile Hunter (Channel 4).

The award for best arts program went to Grayson Perry: Who Are You? (Channel 4). Live from Space: Lap of the Planet (Channel 4) was recognized with an award in the category for science and natural history.

The top children's show was The Big Performance 3: Finale (CBBC), while the winner in children's fiction was 4 O’Clock Club: Christmas (CBBC).

Couples Come Dine with Me (Channel 4) took the win for the daytime program.

The special Judges’ Award was presented to Ben Stephenson, the controller of drama commissioning for BBC Television. The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Melvyn Bragg.