RTS Honors Russell T Davies with Outstanding Achievement Award

The Royal Television Society (RTS) has announced the winners for its RTS Programme Awards 2021, in partnership with Audio Network, which saw celebrated screenwriter Russell T Davies (It’s a Sin, Years and Years) honored with the Outstanding Achievement Award and Michaela Coel earn three wins for I May Destroy You.

Among the awards Coel took home for the BBC One/HBO series was for actor (female), while Shaun Parkes won the actor (male) award for the BBC One program Small Axe. The Breakthrough Award went to Mae Martin for Feel Good (Channel 4, Netflix). Gbemisola Ikumelo in Famalam (BBC Three) and Youssef Kerkour in Home (Channel 4) won the comedy performance gongs to round out the acting honors.

The series award winners were In My Skin (drama), produced by Expectation for BBC Three and BBC One Wales; I May Destroy You (miniseries), from Various Artists/FALKNA for BBC One and HBO; The Young Offenders (scripted comedy), from Vico Films for BBC Three; The Ranganation (comedy entertainment), from Zeppotron for BBC Two; The Masked Singer (entertainment), from Bandicoot Scotland for ITV; Casualty (soap and continuing drama), from BBC Studios for BBC One; Once Upon a Time in Iraq (documentary series), from KEO Films for BBC Two; Loose Women (daytime program), from ITV Studios—Daytime for ITV, Joe Lycett’s Got Your Back (formatted popular factual), from Rumpus Media for Channel 4; Damilola: The Boy Next Door (history), from Acme Films for Channel 4; Grayson’s Art Club (arts), from Swan Films for Channel 4; and IRL with Team Charlene (children’s program), from ITN Productions for ITV and CITV.

Other program winners include The Third Day: Autumn (live event), from Sky Studios, Plan B Entertainment and Punchdrunk Entertainment for Sky Arts; The Surgeon’s Cut (science and natural history), from BBC Studios Production for Netflix; Anton Ferdinand: Football, Racism & Me (single documentary), from Wonder and New Era Global Productions for BBC One; Elizabeth is Missing (single drama), from STV Studios for BBC One; and England v West Indies 1st Test—Black Lives Matter (sports program), from Sky Sports for Sky Sports Cricket.

Big Narstie and Mo Gilligan of The Big Narstie Show (Expectation/Dice Productions for Channel 4) took the prize for the entertainment performance category. The Great British Sewing Bee‘s (Love Productions for BBC One) Joe Lycett won the presenter award. For England v West Indies (Sky Sports for Sky Sports Cricket), Michael Holding beat out the competition to top the sports presenter, commentator or pundit category.

Writing awards went to Mae Martin and Joe Hampson for Feel Good (comedy) and to Michaela Coel for I May Destroy You (drama)

BBC One won for RTS channel of the year.

In addition to the 29 competitive categories, three further awards were presented on behalf of the judges. The Judges’ Award was given to Anne Mensah, VP of original series at Netflix. As aforementioned, for 2021, the Outstanding Achievement Award went to Russell T Davies. Finally, the Special Award honored trade association PACT for its contribution and support to the U.K. television industry throughout 2020.

Kenton Allen, chair of the awards, said: “The incredible range of programming we have seen across all genres and categories in this uniquely challenging year has been exceptional and a terrific representation of the thriving and constantly innovating television industry we have in the U.K. Although we were unable to celebrate as usual in person, we thank all of you for the continued support and send huge congratulations to the very well-deserved winners and nominees. We look forward to reuniting, in the flesh and dressed to impress, for the RTS Awards 2022. It will be one hell of a reunion!”