Channel 4 drama Ackley Bridge enjoyed a triumphant night at the RTS Yorkshire Programme Awards in early July.
The popular secondary school-set series, which is made by the Forge, scooped four top prizes, including the prestigious Drama award. Poppy Lee Friar, who plays feisty Missy Booth, was named Best Actor; Penny Woolcock took home the Director Fiction prize; and Tim Phillips won the Music award.
More than 350 guests attended the ceremony at the Queens Hotel in Leeds, which was hosted by Ellie and Izzi Warner, two of the stars of Channel 4 show Gogglebox.
True Vision Yorkshire’s Catching a Killer: The Search for Natalie Hemming (Channel 4) took home two prizes: the Documentary Series and Professional Excellence: Factual Production awards. “The family of Natalie Hemmings, the victim of the murder covered in the series, attended and spoke very movingly about their loss and how important they thought the documentary had been in raising awareness about domestic violence and coercive relationships,” said RTS Yorkshire secretary Lisa Holdsworth.
Regional news programme Look North also enjoyed success at the ceremony. BBC East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire’s Look North scooped two awards: Phillip Norton was named best News or Current Affairs Reporter and Peter Levy best Presenter. BBC Yorkshire’s Look North was as successful, winning the News or Current Affairs Story award for “House Prices” and the best News Programme for Manchester Arena Bomb.
The RTS Yorkshire 2018 Outstanding Achievement Award was made to Screen Yorkshire chief executive Sally Joynson for her contribution to television in Yorkshire.
The Single Documentary award went to BBC Four film Handmade in Hull. In the Factual Entertainment and Features category, Shiver took home the award for ITV’s Elton John: The Nation’s Favourite Song and the Low-cost Factual prize went to Air Television for UKTV’s 999 Rescue Squad. York-based indie Air Television’s work was also recognised at the ceremony with the Independent Spirit award.
![BBC Look North took home the News or Current Affairs Story award (Credit: Paul Harness Photography)](/sites/default/files/imce/best_news_story_winner_2.jpg)
(Credit: Paul Harness Photography)
Yorkshire Award winners:
Actor – Poppy Lee Friar – Ackley Bridge – The Forge for Channel 4
Animation – Troy Story – Fettle Animation for the Open University
Director Fiction – Penny Woolcock, Ackley Bridge – The Forge for Channel 4
Documentary Series – Catching a Killer: The Search for Natalie Hemming – True Vision Yorkshire for Channel 4
Drama (sponsored by York St John University) – Ackley Bridge – The Forge for Channel 4
Factual Entertainment and Features – Elton John: The Nation’s Favourite Song – Shiver for ITV
Independent Spirit (Sponsored by Channel 4 Nations & Regions) – Air Television
Low-cost Factual – 999 Rescue Squad – Air Television for UKTV
Music and Use of Music – Tim Phillips, Ackley Bridge – The Forge for Channel 4
News or Current Affairs Reporter – Phillip Norton, Look North – BBC East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire
News or Current Affairs Story – “House Prices”, Look North – BBC Yorkshire
News Programme – Manchester Arena Bomb, Look North – BBC Yorkshire
One to Watch – Kerry Maule, Made in Leeds
Presenter – Peter Levy, Look North – BBC East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire
Professional Excellence: Drama and Comedy Post-production – James Ridgway and Gareth Bull, dubbing mixers, Victoria 2 – Mammoth Screen for ITV
Professional Excellence: Drama and Comedy Production – Slung Low production team, Flood: To the Sea – Slung Low for BBC Two
Professional Excellence: Factual Post-production – The Yorkshire Vetpost- production team – Daisybeck Studios for Channel 5
Professional Excellence: Factual Production – Catching a Killer: The Search for Natalie Hemming – True Vision Yorkshire for Channel 4
Promotion or Commercial Production – Larry and Paul: The Newsreader Nightmare – BBC and online
Second Screen Award – My Glasto Lineup – Joi Polloi/BBC Creative for the BBC
Single Documentary – Handmade in Hull – BBC Studios for BBC Four
Writer – Charlie Swinbourne – Deaf Funny – Juggle Productions/British Sign Language Broadcasting Trust (BSLBT) for the Community Channel/BSLBT
Outstanding Achievement Award – Sally Joynson, Screen Yorkshire