Yorkshire

Middleton, who has played Ashley Thomas in the ITV soap for the past two decades, was named Best Actor. The judges commended the actor for his “heart-breaking, powerful and dignified performance” in the wake of his character’s diagnosis with vascular dementia.

The actor received one of two RTS Yorkshire Outstanding Contribution Awards awarded on the night. Emmerdale also won a second award, with Maxine Alderton taking home the prize in the Best Writer category.

Edd Benson from Sheffield Hallam University scooped the Animation award with Out on a Limb, which the jury praised as a “timely and thought-provoking piece”.

Fellow Sheffield Hallam University students – Amy Parker, Kirean Boughan, Lauren Griggs, Beth Elston and Chris Kelly – picked up the award in the Comedy and Entertainment category for Tug of War, which the jury commended for its “clear set up, middle and pay off – all in the right order”.

Purple Thunder Productions from York St John University won the Drama award with Eden, “an ambitious film with a real human story”.

“I love this business” beams Harry Gration. “I’ve been to nine Olympic Games. I’ve been all around the world to cover BBC Sport.”

Gration is one of the old campaigners, with almost 40 years of broadcasting under his belt.

“I never really envisaged that I’d end up presenting a television programme as I do every night. It happened as a dream and it has turned into a reality.”

The RTS award win is Gration’s second in the category, having won first in 2015. “It’s beyond expectation to be honest. You tend to get these once in a lifetime.”

Having cut her teeth as a print news journalist, Margaret Emsley has spent the last 18 years at ITV Yorkshire working on the Calendar regional news programme in Leeds. Starting out as a bulletin writer, she worked her way up the ranks and today oversees the entire production of the daily news show. 

This special follows a number of other successful slow TV programmes on the channel including All Aboard! The Sleigh Ride and Slow Week.

All Aboard! The Country Bus will take viewers on a peaceful and idyllic ride along one of the most spectacularly scenic bus routes in Britain.

Filmed in real time, the camera capture the road ahead and passing scenery, as well as the occasional chatter from the regular riders.

Leading indie Red Production Company was the night’s big winner at the Yorkshire Centre Awards, which were held at the Royal Armouries in Leeds towards the end of June.

Red’s hard-hitting police drama Happy Valley picked up a clutch of prizes.

The six-part series, which aired on BBC One last year to critical acclaim and strong audiences, won the awards for Filmed in Yorkshire, Writer (for Sally Wainwright), On-­Screen Performance (Sarah Lancashire) and Drama.