Hot off the heels of the BAFTA TV Awards nominations, Adolescence is continuing its run of form with four wins at the Royal Television Society‘s Program Awards.
The ceremony took place at London’s JW Marriott Grosvenor House Hotel on Tuesday night, hosted by comedian-presenter Tom Allen with the aim of celebrating the best of U.K. television. Among the attendees were Erin Doherty, Dylan Llewllyn, Steve Coogan, Mawaan Rizwan, Stephen Graham, Katherine Parkinson, Lucy Punch, Davina McCall, Gabby Logan, Alison Steadman, Jack Thorne, and Malachi Kirby.
Across the 29 competitive categories, the BBC led with 16 awards, including for The Celebrity Traitors and wins for the stars of Unforgivable, Bobby Schofield and Anna Friel, in the leading actor and supporting actress categories. The BBC also won the highly contested drama series category for Blue Lights, and Kat Sadler nabbed best writer for Such Brave Girls.
Netflix followed with five wins, four of which went to Adolescence. Breakout star Owen Cooper won both the breakthrough award and supporting actor prize. Cooper’s co-star Erin Doherty also presented the judges’ award to Adolescence producers Stephen Graham, Hannah Walters, and Matriarch Productions, gaining recognition for providing a platform for underrepresented voices — from all cultural backgrounds and social classes — to tell their story.
“They wanted to produce work that offered a voice to the voiceless, work that told the neglected narratives of people who’d grown used to their life experiences and struggles being overlooked — or just plain ignored,” said co-star Doherty, presenting them with the award. “In particular, they wanted to tell stories that had a working-class perspective running right through them.”
In the comedy categories, Prime Video’s Last One Laughing won comedy entertainment, while Steve Coogan won for his performance in How Are You? It’s Alan (Partridge). Channel 4’s Big Boys took home the comedy drama award, and the BBC’s Things You Should Have Done, fronted by comedian and internet personality Lucia Keskin/Chi With A C, won in the scripted category.
The 2026 outstanding achievement award went to Monty Python star Michael Palin. Check out the full list of winners at RTS’ Program Awards below.
Arts
The Last Musician of Auschwitz
Breakthrough Award
Owen Cooper, Adolescence
Children’s Program
Crongton
Comedy Drama
Big Boys
Comedy Entertainment
Last One Laughing
Comedy Performance – Female
Philippa Dunne, Amandaland
Comedy Performance – Male
Steve Coogan, How Are You? It’s Alan (Partridge)
Daytime Program
BBC Breakfast – Our Girls: The Southport Families
Documentary Series
Bibaa & Nicole: Murder in the Park
Drama Series
Blue Lights
Entertainment & Reality
The Celebrity Traitors
Entertainment Performance
Rob Beckett & Romesh Ranganathan, Rob & Romesh Vs
Formatted Popular Factual
The Assembly
History
Flight 149: Hostage of War
Leading Actor – Female
Narges Rashidi, Prisoner 951
Leading Actor – Male
Bobby Schofield, Unforgivable
Limited Series and Single Drama
Adolescence
Live Event
Holocaust Memorial Day 2025 (BBC Studios Events for BBC)
Presenter
Hamza Yassin, Hamza’s Hidden Wild Isles
Science & The Natural World
Underdogs
Scripted Comedy
Things You Should Have Done
Single Documentary
Grenfell: Uncovered
Soap and Continuing Drama
EastEnders
Sports Presenter, Commentator or Pundit
Gabby Logan, Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025
Sports Program
2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (Sky Sports)
Supporting Actor – Female
Anna Friel, Unforgivable
Supporting Actor – Male
Owen Cooper, Adolescence
Writer – Comedy
Kat Sadler, Such Brave Girls
Writer – Drama
Jack Thorne & Stephen Graham, Adolescence
Judges’ Award
Stephen Graham, Hannah Walters, and Matriarch Productions
Outstanding Achievement Award
Michael Palin
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