The stars were out for the centre’s awards at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, says Matthew Bell
Pobol Y Cwm, which celebrates a half-century on air this October, was honoured at the RTS Cymru Wales Awards last month.
The soap, which is set in the fictional Welsh-speaking village of Cwmderi, was recognised by the RTS with a Lifetime Achievement award, as were Lis Miles, who plays Megan Harries and appeared in the first episode in 1974, and long-serving director/producer Robin Davies-Rollinson.
Pobol Y Cwm, which airs on S4C three times a week, is filmed at the BBC’s drama studios in Cardiff Bay.
Men Up, the story of the world’s first trial for the drug that would become Viagra in Swansea 30 years ago, took home the Drama prize. The TV film, which was written by Matthew Barry and directed by Ashley Way, was made for BBC One by Quay Street Productions and Boom.
The award for Drama Performance went to Di Botcher, who has played paramedic Jan Jenning in the BBC One drama Casualty since 2018.
Rhod Gilbert: A Pain in the Neck, a Channel 4 series that follows the comedian’s treatment for a rare form of head and neck cancer, secured the Factual award. The powerful and life-affirming series was produced by Kailash Films.
Sarra Elgan took home the Presenter of the Year award for her coverage of last autumn’s Rugby World Cup on S4C.
Cardiff actor Mared Jarman (S4C drama Yr Amgueddfa and BBC Two comedy How This Blind Girl…) was recognised with the Rising Star award.
RTS Cymru Wales – Television Awards 2024 winners
Industry Awards
Lifetime Awards – Pobol Y Cwm, Lis Miles and Robin Davies-Rollinson
Drama – Men Up, Quay Street Productions and Boom for BBC One
Drama Performance – Di Botcher, Casualty, BBC Cymru Wales/BBC Studios for BBC One
Comedy or Entertainment – A Special School, Slam Media for BBC Wales/BBC Two
Factual – Rhod Gilbert; A Pain in the Neck, Kailash Films for Channel 4
Children’s – My Life: I was Bullied, Yeti Television for CBBC
News (Short) – Argyfwng Twrci a Syria, S4C
Sports Documentary – Ifan Phillips, Whisper Cymru for S4C
Presenter of the Year – Sarra Elgan, Cwpan Rygbi’r Byd, S4C
Rising Star – Mared Jarman
Digital – Bwmp, Octagon Content for S4C
Location Manager – Iwan Roberts, Doctor Who: The Church on Ruby Road, BBC Studios and Bad Wolf for BBC One and Disney+
Multiskilled Journalism or Production – Lydia Griffith and Siôn Jenkins, Y Byd ar Bedwar: Ymchwiliad Ian Wyn-Jones, S4C
Production Manager (Factual) – Francesca Barbieri, One Tribe TV
Production Manager (Drama) – Mair Vining, The Winter King, Bad Wolf and Sony Pictures for ITVX
Student Undergraduate Awards
Animation – The Closet, University of South Wales
Comedy and Entertainment – The Struggles for Creative Consistency, Aberystwyth University
Drama – Woe, Aberystwyth University
Factual Short-form – Holm Sweet Home, University of South Wales
Saving the Planet – Fibres: The Roots of Industrial Hemp, Aberystwyth University
Craft Skills: Camera – Penguin, University of South Wales
Student Postgraduate Awards
Drama – Black Veil, University of South Wales
Factual Long-form – A Bridge to Mundania, Cardiff University
Factual Short-form – Portraying Islam, Cardiff University
Craft Skills: Sound – Amygdala, University of South Wales