Hannah Waddingham was the center of attention as she received the Best Entertainment Presenter award at the Royal Television Society Awards. She won for her work on the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest, where she co-hosted with Graham Norton, Alesha Dixon, and Julia Sanina. Waddingham expressed her gratitude towards BBC Studios, who supported her and made her believe in her abilities as a live TV presenter. The Eurovision Song Contest also received the Live Event award on the night, in addition to Waddingham’s individual accolade.
Other notable winners at the awards ceremony included the BBC dramas Time and Happy Valley. Time, a three-part series starring Jodie Whittaker and Tamara Lawrance, received praise for the performances of its cast. Tamara Lawrance won the Leading Actor – Female award for her role in the prison drama, while Bella Ramsey won the Supporting Actor – Female award for their work. Happy Valley, led by Sarah Lancashire and James Norton, was recognized as top-class drama by the jury, beating out other contenders in the Drama category.
Stacey Solomon was honored with the Formatted Popular Factual show award for her BBC series Sort Your Life Out, where she helps transform people’s homes. Other winners included Alex Scott for the Sports Presenter award, Chris Packham for the Presenter award, and Disney+ series Extraordinary for the Scripted Comedy award. The Sixth Commandment, a true crime drama, also received multiple awards, including Limited Series and Writer – Drama for Sarah Phelps. EastEnders won the Soap and Continuing Drama award, beating out other popular shows like Casualty and Waterloo Road.
The RTS Programme Awards also recognized breakthrough talents in the industry, with awards going to individuals like Ashley Thomas, Hamza Yassin, and Lucy Edwards. Various categories like Arts, Children’s Programme, and Daytime Programme saw winners such as Fight The Power: How Hip Hop Changed the World, A Kind Of Spark, and Scam Interceptors, respectively. The event celebrated a wide range of genres and formats, including Comedy Drama, Entertainment, History, and Sports, highlighting the diversity and talent in the television industry.
The awards ceremony highlighted the exceptional contributions of individuals and programs across different genres and formats in the television industry. From breakout performances to successful shows like Happy Valley and EastEnders, the event showcased the best of British television. Talented presenters like Chris Packham and Stacey Solomon were recognized for their charisma and expertise, while dramas like Time and The Sixth Commandment received accolades for their exceptional storytelling. The winners of the RTS Programme Awards represented the diverse and vibrant landscape of television programming in the UK.
