Royal Television Society Launches RTS Programme Awards 2021

The Royal Television Society (RTS) has opened entries for the RTS Programme Awards 2021, in partnership with Audio Network.

The awards seek to recognize talent across all genres in British television. Kenton Allen, CEO of Big Talk Productions, has joined as the new chair of the RTS Programme Awards and will guide the criteria for the awards to ensure it reflects the changing television landscape. The RTS Programme Awards 2021 will take place on Tuesday, March 16.

For the upcoming edition of the awards, the RTS has introduced the comedy entertainment category to celebrate panel or talent-led talk shows, humor-led variety or competition shows and clip shows. The eligibility period will also now follow the calendar year. To fully transition to this pattern for 2022, this year’s entries will be accepted from programs broadcast between November 1, 2019, and December 31, 2020.

The awards highlight programs and performances that have made a material and positive contribution worthy of acclaim by the industry and U.K. viewers in 30 categories across Single Drama; Drama Series; Mini-Series; Soap and Continuing Drama; Writer–Drama; Scripted Comedy; Entertainment; Comedy Entertainment; Writer–Comedy; Actor (Female); Actor (Male); Entertainment Performance; Comedy Performance (Female); Comedy Performance (Male); Presenter; Breakthrough Award; History; Science and Natural History; Arts; Single Documentary; Documentary Series; Formatted Popular Factual; Daytime Programme; Children’s Programme; Live Event; Sports Programme; Sports Presenter, Commentator or Pundit; RTS Channel of the Year; Judges’ Award; and the Outstanding Achievement Award.

Nominations will be announced in early March.

Allen said: “The television industry has shown incredible innovation, adaptability and resilience in what has been a very challenging year. I am delighted to be working closely with the RTS team and chairing the 2021 Programme Awards, and look forward to celebrating the fantastic array of programming that we have all enjoyed over the past year.”

Theresa Wise, CEO of the Royal Television Society, said: “This is a year when television was for many months our only window on the world–and it brought hours of helpful information, comfort, escapism and company. I am delighted that the RTS recognizes our industry talent in these awards.”