Royal Television Society Programme Awards
The Royal Television Society Programme Awards, seek to recognise programmes or individuals who have made a positive and material contribution to their genre: either because their content or originality in form has in some way moved the genre forward, or perhaps even created a new genre; or because their quality has set standards which other programme-makers can emulate and learn from.
In addition to the national awards and the Craft & Design Awards, the Royal Television Society also hosts a number of regional award ceremonies throughout the UK and Ireland.
Award categories
The original Royal Television Society Programme Awards can be traced back to 1975, when there were just seven categories. In 1989, the categories were revised and awards in these new categories conferred for the award year of 1988. It was also in this year that nominations for some categories were introduced for the very first time. Since 2016, the awards have been primarily focussed on home-grown output, with Fargo, the final winner of the International category in 2015. In 2023, the number of award categories stood at 30.Controversies
In February 2017 broadcaster Piers Morgan pulled out as host after only three days, citing a public campaign branding him as damaging and inappropriate for the event.Judging
The RTS Programme Awards winners are selected not by public vote but decided via judging panels composed of industry experts and professionals. In 2016 the make up of the judging panels was adjusted to include more women and people from minority backgrounds. From approximately 200 jurors, 52% were now female and 27% from BAME backgrounds. The move towards more diversity came in the wake of the #OscarsSoWhite campaign. At the time of the 2020 awards, the overall jury composition was 56% female and 32% came from BAME backgrounds.Winners: 1998–present
2025 winners| Award | Winners | Nominees |
| Outstanding Achievement Award | Claudia Winkleman | – |
| Judges' Award | Ruth Jones and James Corden | – |
| Arts | My Sexual Abuse: The Sitcom |
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| Breakthrough Award | Josh Tedeku – Boarders | |
| Children's Programme | Quentin Blake's Box of Treasures | |
| Comedy Drama | Alma's Not Normal | |
| Comedy Entertainment | Junior Taskmaster | |
| Comedy Performance: Female | Sophie Willan – Alma's Not Normal | |
| Comedy Performance: Male | Oliver Savell – Changing Ends | |
| Daytime Programme | Loose Women | |
| Documentary Series | The Push: Murder on the Cliff | |
| Drama Series | Industry | |
| Entertainment | The Traitors | |
| Entertainment Performance | Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly – Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway | |
| Formatted Popular Factual | Freddie Flintoff's Field of Dreams on Tour | |
| History | Atomic People | |
| Leading Actor: Female | Anna Maxwell Martin – Until I Kill You | |
| Leading Actor: Male | Lennie James – Mr Loverman | |
| Limited Series and Single Drama | This Town | |
| Live Event | D Day 80: Tribute to the Fallen | |
| Presenter | Liz Carr – Better Off Dead? | |
| Science & The Natural World | Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story | |
| Scripted Comedy | Things You Should Have Done | |
| Single Documentary | Hell Jumper | |
| Soap and Continuing Drama | Casualty | |
| Sports Presenter, Commentator or Pundit | Rose Ayling-Ellis and Clare Balding – Paris 2024 Paralympics | |
| Sports Program | Paris 2024 Paralympics | |
| Supporting Actor – Female | Jessica Gunning – Baby Reindeer | |
| Supporting Actor – Male | Danny Dyer – Rivals | |
| Writer – Comedy | Sophie Willan – Alma's Not Normal | |
| Writer – Drama | Dominic Treadwell-Collins and Laura Wade – Rivals + |
| Award | Winners | Nominees |
| Outstanding Achievement Award | Stephen Lambert | – |
| Judges' Award | Mr Bates vs The Post Office | – |
| Arts | Fight the Power: How Hip Hop Changed the World |
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| Breakthrough Award | Lucy Edwards – Japan - The Way I See It – The Travel Show | |
| Children's Program | A Kind of Spark | |
| Comedy Drama | Juice | |
| Comedy Entertainment | Rob & Romesh Vs | |
| Comedy Performance: Female | Gbemisola Ikumelo – Black Ops | |
| Comedy Performance: Male | Hammed Animashaun – Black Ops | |
| Daytime Program | Scam Interceptors | |
| Documentary Series | Once Upon a Time in Northern Ireland | |
| Drama Series | Happy Valley | |
| Entertainment | Squid Game: The Challenge | |
| Entertainment Performance | Hannah Waddingham – Eurovision Song Contest 2023 | |
| Formatted Popular Factual | Sort Your Life Out | |
| History | White Nanny, Black Child | |
| Leading Actor: Female | Tamara Lawrance – Time | |
| Leading Actor: Male | Kane Robinson – Top Boy | |
| Limited-Series | The Sixth Commandment | |
| Live Event | Eurovision Song Contest 2023 | |
| Presenter | Chris Packham – Inside Our Autistic Minds | |
| Science & The Natural World | Chimp Empire | |
| Scripted Comedy | Extraordinary | |
| Single Documentary | Otto Baxter: Not A F***ing Horror Story | |
| Single Drama | Partygate | |
| Soap and Continuing Drama | EastEnders | |
| Sports Presenter, Commentator or Pundit | Alex Scott – FIFA Women's World Cup | |
| Sports Program | All Ireland Senior Football Championship Final | |
| Supporting Actor – Female | Bella Ramsey – Time | |
| Supporting Actor – Male | Éanna Hardwicke – The Sixth Commandment | |
| Writer – Comedy | Jack Rooke – Big Boys | |
| Writer – Drama | Sarah Phelps – The Sixth Commandment |
This year saw the introduction of two new performance categories: supporting actor male and supporting actor female.
| Award | Winners | Nominees |
| Outstanding Achievement Award | Sarah Lancashire | – |
| Judges' Award | Charlotte Moore | – |
| Arts | The Evolution of Black British Music |
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| Breakthrough Award | Lenny Rush – Am I Being Unreasonable? | |
| Children's Program | Dodger | |
| Comedy Drama | Brassic | |
| Comedy Entertainment | Friday Night Live | |
| Comedy Performance: Female | Daisy May Cooper as Nic in Am I Being Unreasonable? | |
| Comedy Performance: Male | Lenny Rush as Ollie in Am I Being Unreasonable? | |
| Daytime Program | Loose Men | |
| Documentary Series | Gazza | |
| Drama Series | Sherwood | |
| Entertainment | The Traitors | |
| Entertainment Performance | Claudia Winkleman – The Traitors | |
| Formatted Popular Factual | Gogglebox | |
| History | Our Falklands War: A frontline story | |
| Leading Actor: Female | Kate Winslet as Ruth in I Am Ruth | |
| Leading Actor: Male | Kit Connor as Nick Nelson in Heartstopper | |
| Limited-Series | Mood | |
| Live Event | The State Funeral of HM The Queen Elizabeth II | |
| Presenter | Ramita Navai – Afghanistan: No Country for Women | |
| Science & The Natural World | The Green Planet | |
| Scripted Comedy | Derry Girls | |
| Single Documentary | The Tinder Swindler | |
| Single Drama | Life and Death in the Warehouse | |
| Soap and Continuing Drama | Casualty | |
| Sports Presenter, Commentator or Pundit | Ade Adepitan – 2022 Winter Paralympics | |
| Sports Program | Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games | |
| Supporting Actor – Female | Ambika Mod as Shruti Acharya in This Is Going to Hurt | |
| Supporting Actor – Male | Adeel Akhtar as Andy Fisher in Sherwood | |
| Writer – Comedy | Lisa McGee for Derry Girls | |
| Writer – Drama | Lucy Prebble for I Hate Suzie Too |
This year saw the return to a live audience event after the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions. Comedian Graham Norton was presented the outstanding achievement award for 2020 which he had been unable to collect at that time due to having COVID-19.
| Award | Winners | Nominees |
| Outstanding Achievement Award 2020 | Graham Norton ' | – |
| Outstanding Achievement Award | Jack Thorne | – |
| Judges' Award | Strictly Come Dancing | – |
| Actor: Female | Gabrielle Creevy as Bethan in In My Skin |
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| Actor: Male | Callum Scott Howells as Colin "Gladys Pugh" Morris-Jones in It's a Sin | |
| Arts | Lady Boss: The Jackie Collins Story | |
| Breakthrough Award | Adjani Salmon – Dreaming Whilst Black | |
| Children's Programme | The Rubbish World of Dave Spud | |
| Comedy Entertainment | The Lateish Show with Mo Gilligan | |
| Comedy Performance: Female | Anjana Vasan as Amina in We Are Lady Parts | |
| Comedy Performance: Male | Samson Kayo as Maleek in Bloods | |
| Daytime Programme | The Great House Giveaway | |
| Documentary Series | 9/11: One Day in America | |
| Drama Series | In My Skin | |
| Entertainment | The Big Breakfast | |
| Entertainment Performance | AJ Odudu and Mo Gilligan – The Big Breakfast | |
| Formatted Popular Factual | The Dog House | |
| History | Uprising | |
| Live Event | The Earthshot Prize 2021 | |
| Limited Series | It's a Sin | |
| Presenter | Munya Chawawa – Race Around Britain | |
| RTS Network of the Year | BBC One | |
| Science & Natural History | David Harewood – Why is Covid Killing People of Colour? | |
| Scripted Comedy | Alma's Not Normal | |
| Single Documentary | Rape: Who's on Trial? | |
| Single Drama | Help | |
| Soap and Continuing Drama | Hollyoaks | |
| Sports Presenter, Commentator or Pundit | Gary Neville – Sky Sports Premier League | |
| Sports Programme | Tokyo 2020 Olympics | |
| Writer: Comedy | Nida Manzoor for We Are Lady Parts |
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| Writing: Drama | Russell T Davies for It's a Sin |
For the second year running, due to COVID-19 related restrictions the 2021 winners ceremony was held behind closed doors and without a live audience. In 2021 a new award category for comedy entertainment programme was established. A special award was bestowed on John McVay, Sara Geater, Max Rumney, Hakan Kousetta and their team at PACT in this year to recognise the difficulties and challenges for the independent production sector during the pandemic year.
| Award | Winners | Nominees |
| Outstanding Achievement Award | Russell T Davies | – |
| Judges' Award | Anne Mensah | – |
| Special Award | PACT | – |
| Actor: Female | Michaela Coel as Arabella Essiedu in I May Destroy You |
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| Actor: Male | Shaun Parkes as Frank Crichlow in Small Axe | |
| Arts | Grayson's Art Club | |
| Breakthrough Award | Mae Martin – Feel Good | |
| Children's Programme | IRL with Team Charlene | |
| Comedy Entertainment | The Ranganation | |
| Comedy Performance: Female | Gbemisola Ikumelo as various characters in Famalam | |
| Comedy Performance: Male | Youssef Kerkour as Sami Ibrahim in Home | |
| Daytime Programme | Loose Women | |
| Documentary Series | Once Upon a Time in Iraq | |
| Drama Series | In My Skin | |
| Entertainment | The Masked Singer | |
| Entertainment Performance | Big Narstie & Mo Gilligan – The Big Narstie Show | |
| Formatted Popular Factual | Joe Lycett's Got Your Back | |
| History | Damilola: The Boy Next Door | |
| Live Event | The Third Day: "Autumn" | |
| Mini Series | I May Destroy You | |
| Presenter | Joe Lycett – The Great British Sewing Bee | |
| RTS Channel of the Year | BBC One | |
| Science & Natural History | The Surgeon's Cut | |
| Scripted Comedy | The Young Offenders | |
| Single Documentary | Anton Ferdinand: Football, Racism & Me | |
| Single Drama | Elizabeth Is Missing | |
| Soap and Continuing Drama | Casualty | |
| Sports Presenter, Commentator or Pundit | Michael Holding – England v West Indies | |
| Sports Programme | England v West Indies First Test: "Black Lives Matter" | |
| Writer: Comedy | Mae Martin and Joe Hampson for Feel Good | |
| Writing: Drama | Michaela Coel for I May Destroy You |
Due to COVID-19 related restrictions the 2020 winners ceremony was held behind closed doors and without a live audience. The outstanding achievement award was not awarded as comedian Graham Norton had COVID-19,.
| Award | Winners | Nominees |
| Outstanding Achievement Award | Graham Norton | – |
| Judges' Award | Jane Featherstone | – |
| Actor: Female | Tamara Lawrance as July in The Long Song |
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| Actor: Male | Stephen Graham as Joseph in The Virtues | |
| Arts | Bros: After the Screaming Stops | |
| Breakthrough Award | Tanya Moodie – Motherland | |
| Children's Programme | Zog | |
| Comedy Performance: Female | Saoirse-Monica Jackson as Erin Quinn in Derry Girls | |
| Comedy Performance: Male | Ncuti Gatwa as Eric Effiong in Sex Education | |
| Daytime Programme | The Repair Shop | |
| Documentary Series | The Choir: Our School By The Tower | |
| Drama Series | Gentleman Jack | |
| Entertainment | RuPaul's Drag Race UK | |
| Entertainment Performance | London Hughes – Don't Hate The Playaz | |
| Formatted Popular Factual | The British Tribe Next Door | |
| History | Jade: The Reality Star Who Changed Britain | |
| Live Event | Stormzy at Glastonbury 2019 | |
| Mini Series | The Long Song | |
| Presenter | Mobeen Azhar – Hometown: A Killing | |
| RTS Channel of the Year | Channel 5 | |
| Science & Natural History | The Parkinson's Drug Trial: A Miracle Cure? | |
| Scripted Comedy | Fleabag | |
| Single Documentary | War in the Blood | |
| Single Drama | The Left Behind | |
| Soap and Continuing Drama | Casualty | |
| Sports Presenter, Commentator or Pundit | Alex Scott – 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup | |
| Sports Programme | ICC Cricket World Cup Final | |
| Writer: Comedy | Phoebe Waller-Bridge for Fleabag | |
| Writing: Drama | Craig Mazin for Chernobyl |
In 2019 the comedy performance award was split into two for the first time.
| Award | Winners | Nominees |
| Outstanding Achievement Award | Lorraine Kelly | – |
| Judges' Award | Ben Frow | – |
| Actor: Female | Jodie Comer as Oksana Astankova / Villanelle in Killing Eve |
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| Actor: Male | Lucian Msamati as Tobi Akindele Kiri | |
| Arts | The Art of Drumming | |
| Breakthrough Award | Nabhaan Rizwan – Informer | |
| Children's Programme | Prosiect Z | |
| Comedy Performance: Female | Lesley Manville as Cathy Walker in Mum | |
| Comedy Performance: Male | Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith as various characters in Inside No. 9 | |
| Daytime Programme | The Repair Shop | |
| Documentary Series | Prison | |
| Drama Series | Save Me | |
| Entertainment | The Last Leg | |
| Entertainment Performance | Big Narstie & Mo Gilligan – The Big Narstie Show | |
| Formatted Popular Factual | The Real Full Monty: Ladies Night | |
| History | A Dangerous Dynasty: The House of Assad | |
| Live Event | The Royal Wedding: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle | |
| Mini Series | A Very English Scandal | |
| Presenter | Romesh Ranganathan – The Misadventures of Romesh Ranganathan | |
| RTS Channel of the Year | CBeebies | |
| Science & Natural History | Drowning in Plastic | |
| Scripted Comedy | Derry Girls | |
| Single Documentary | Raped: My Story | |
| Single Drama | Killed by My Debt | |
| Soap and Continuing Drama | Hollyoaks | |
| Sports Presenter, Commentator or Pundit | Osi Umenyiora – The NFL Show/NFL This Week | |
| Sports Programme | MOTD: "2018 World Cup - Quarter Final – England v Sweden" | |
| Writer: Comedy | Stefan Golaszewski for Mum | |
| Writing: Drama | Lennie James for Save Me |
In 2018 Netflix's historical drama The Crown was bestowed a special recognition award.
| Award | Winners | Nominees |
| Lifetime Achievement Award | Jimmy McGovern | – |
| Judges' Award | Charlie Brooker and Annabel Jones | – |
| Special Recognition Award | The Crown | – |
| Actor: Female | Sinéad Keenan as Melanie Jones in Little Boy Blue |
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| Actor: Male | Stephen Graham as Detective Superintendent Dave Kelly in Little Boy Blue | |
| Arts | Paula Rego, Secrets & Stories | |
| Breakthrough Award | Daniel Lawrence Taylor – Timewasters | |
| Children's Programme | Newsround: "Inside My Head" | |
| Comedy Performance | Daisy May Cooper as Kerry Mucklowe and Charlie Cooper as Lee "Kurtan" Mucklowe in This Country | |
| Daytime Programme | Moving On: "Eighteen" | |
| Documentary Series | Hospital | |
| Drama Series | The End of the F***ing World | |
| Entertainment | Love Island | |
| Entertainment Performance | Adam Hills, Alex Brooker and Josh Widdicombe – The Last Leg | |
| Formatted Popular Factual | Muslims Like Us | |
| History | Elizabeth I's Secret Agents | |
| Live Event | World War One Remembered: Passchendaele – For The Fallen | |
| Mini Series | Three Girls | |
| Presenter | Anita Rani – My Family, Partition and Me: India 1947 | |
| RTS Channel of the Year | BBC One | |
| Science & Natural History | Planet Earth II | |
| Scripted Comedy | This Country | |
| Single Documentary | Rio Ferdinand: Being Mum and Dad | |
| Single Drama | Murdered for Being Different | |
| Soap and Continuing Drama | Coronation Street | |
| Sports Presenter, Commentator or Pundit | Michael Johnson – World Athletics Championships | |
| Sports Programme | Anthony Joshua vs. Wladimir Klitschko | |
| Writer: Comedy | Daisy May Cooper and Charlie Cooper for This Country | |
| Writing: Drama | Nicole Taylor for Three Girls |
This year saw the drama serial award retired to make way for two new awards: the mini-series award and the RTS channel of the year award.
| Award | Winners | Nominees |
| Lifetime Achievement Award | Julie Walters | – |
| Judges' Award | Sally Wainwright | – |
| Actor: Female | Sophie Okonedo as Maya Cobbina in Undercover |
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| Actor: Male | Robbie Coltrane as Paul Finchley in National Treasure | |
| Arts | Grayson Perry: All Man | |
| Breakthrough Award | Phoebe Waller-Bridge – Fleabag | |
| Children's Programme | CBeebies A Midsummer Night's Dream | |
| Comedy Performance | Asim Chaudhry as Chabud "Chabuddy G" Gul in People Just Do Nothing | |
| Daytime Programme | Find it, Fix it, Flog it | |
| Documentary Series | Exodus: Our Journey to Europe | |
| Drama Series | Happy Valley | |
| Entertainment | Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway |