BBC2 scoops channel of the year amid haul of 16 awards for the corporation
BBC2 has scooped the coveted Best Channel prize at this year’s Broadcast Awards as the BBC emerged the big winner.
Defeating its PSB rivals, the channel, which was run by Patrick Holland until last month, was honoured for high-quality docs including Once Upon a Time in Iraq and A House Through Time and factual entertainment series Race Across the World and Your Home Made Perfect.
Other BBC2 victories included Best News for Emily Maitlis’ bombshell Newsnight interview with Prince Andrew and The Ranganation in the inaugural Best Lockdown Comedy, Entertainment, Scripted category.
The judges praised BBC2 for fulfilling its brief to act as a nursery slope for BBC1, with the likes of Top Gear and Great British Sewing Bee graduating to main channel.
Last year, Channel 5 was named best channel for the first time.
Meanwhile, Fremantle label Talkback picked up the Best Independent Production Company gong.
The outfit was responsible for Netflix smash hit reality format Too Hot To Handle, recently recommissioned for a second run, which drew praise from the streamer’s content boss Ted Sarandos after generating at least 30m views in its first month.
Talkback also had success with ITV’s Alan Carr’s Epic Gameshow, while the same channel’s Harry’s Heroes returned for a second run with a Euro slant.
Hospital producer Label1 picked up Emerging Indie of the Year, as the BBC2 stalwart went from strength-to-strength and Channel 4 dating format Five Guys A Week launched.
The BBC was the big winner on the night, taking home more than half of the programming awards with 16.
The corporation won both drama categories, with BBC1 double I May Destroy You and Elizabeth Is Missing taking home Best Drama Series or Serial and Best Single Drama respectively.
BBC3’s RuPaul’s Drag Race UK took home Best Entertainment, one of two awards for the format, which also scooped Best Multichannel Programme.
BBC chief content officer Charlotte Moore said: “Massive success at last night’s Broadcast Awards highlights a BBC on top creative form. Special congratulations must go to Patrick Holland as BBC2 collected an incredible haul of awards across a range of categories.”
Celebrating innovation in the pandemic, the other three new categories were won by BBC1’s Last Night of the Proms (Best Lockdown Sport and Live), S4C’s Dim Ysgol: Maesincla (Best Lockdown News, Doc and Fact) and Channel 5’s Springtime on the Farm (Best Lockdown Fact Ent, Popular Factual and Kids).
C4 also picked up Best Comedy for Friday Night Dinner and Best Documentary Programme for For Sama.
The Special Recognition Award was handed to ITN, which celebrated its 65th birthday this year.
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