Channel 4 scoops nine gongs at RTS awards

At a star-studded awards bash at the Grosvenor House Hotel last night, Channel 4 won nine awards, picking up more gongs than any other individual channel and improving on last year's impressive haul.  Not only that, it was widely accepted that the nine awards were the most prestigious nine on offer (what does Channel of the Year even mean these days, anyway?)

Channel 4’s Paralympic coverage was recognised, winning the Sports Programme category. Judges commented: “They hooked us with brilliant storytelling and the most fantastic sporting content. The coverage continues to break new ground all the time.” There was also an award for the Last Leg, with Adam Hills, Alex Brooker & Josh Widdicombe winning the Entertainment Performance award, in spite of not being either Ant or Dec.

National Treasure took home two awards, including Mini-Series, with the judges praising its ““brilliant writing and stunningly crafted direction.” Robbie Coltrane was named Best Actor (Male) for his performance, described as “outstanding, the very definition of creative risk-taking.”

Grayson Perry All Man also won two awards, for Arts Programme and for Presenter. Judges described the show as “intelligent and moving…the greatest example of an unpatronising, empathetic and compassionate programme.” (Is anyone else slightly loving these judges?)

In winning the Live Event award, Stand Up to Cancer was described as ““Genuinely innovative…an event which reinvented its genre.” The award for Science and Natural History went to First Contact: Lost Tribe of the Amazon, which judges described as “gonad-tinglingly brilliant.” (Okay, they didn’t, but imagine if they had…) And Find It, Fix It, Flog It won the Daytime Programme award .

The Awards were hosted by Great British Bake Off’s Sandi Toksvig (yeah, okay she’s done one or two other things too).