DERRY Girls and James Martin were amongst the winners of the Royal Television Society, Northern Ireland (RTS NI) Programme Awards were announced at a glittering awards ceremony in City Hall on Thursday night.
Lisa McGee's Derry Girls added to their vast catalogue of awards by picking up the Comedy Award for series 3.
Jamie-Lee O’Donnell wearing a stunning silk red suit won the award for Best On-Screen Talent Award for her performance in the documentary The Real Derry: Jamie-Lee O’Donnell.
Made by Tyrone Productions, with warmth, wit and honesty, the Derry Girls' star documents the city’s complex past, reflects on her childhood experiences and discovers what life's like for young people growing up in Derry today.
Belfast actor James Martin was presented with the coveted Brian Waddell Award for his outstanding contribution to the industry. James is the first leading man with Down Syndrome in an Oscar-winning film and has enjoyed global success for his portrayal of Lorcan in An Irish Goodbye.
Looking dashing in his white suit, James Martin said: It’s absolutely wonderful to receive this recognition in my home town. I hope my success encourages more young people like me to follow their dreams as I did.”
Hosted by Blu Hydrangea, aka Joshua Cargill, an array of guests from the world of media and television were present for the 8th RTS NI Awards.
Fiona Campbell, Chair of RTS NI said: “It is a real pleasure to celebrate the incredible talent of our very own James Martin, who has won the hearts of audiences worldwide with his outstanding performance in An Irish Goodbye.
“As an industry we have a unique platform in which we can smash prejudice by ensuring that we are inclusive both on-screen and behind-the-cameras. Congratulations to all our winners and finalists, who represent the best of the creative talent now so evident in Northern Ireland.”
The Irish language drama Doineann, directed by Damian McCann for DoubleBand Films was a surprise winner in drama category, defeating the BBC drama Bloodlands, starring James Nesbitt.
In the news coverage category, UTV picked up an award for Dying on the Streets, a special UTV Live production, examining the escalating drugs and homelessness crisis in Belfast.
The Chronicles of Strangford won the Best Lifestyle/Features Award for Waddell Media and the Factual Entertainment Award went to The Fast and the Farmish-ish by Alleycats TV with BBC NI picking up the Entertainment Award for The Belfast Mixtape: Songs from Lockdown.
WINNERS AND FINALISTS
Entertainment:
WINNER - The Belfast Mixtape: Songs from Lockdown (BBCNI)
Beauty Queen and Single (Stellify Media)
Live At The Waterfront! (Green Inc Film & TV)
Children's and Animation:
WINNER - Silverpoint (Zodiak Kids & Family Productions UK)
Happy the Hoglet (Paper Owl Films)
ODO (Sixteen South/Letko)
On Screen Talent:
WINNER - Jamie-Lee O’Donnell (in The Real Derry: Jamie-Lee O’Donnell by Tyrone Production)
Holly Hamilton (in Victory in Vienna by Clean Slate Productions)
Theo Dorgan (in An Buachaill Gealgháireach (The Laughing Boy / To Yelasto Paidi by Imagine Media Productions Ltd)
News Coverage:
WINNER - UTV Live – Dying on the Streets (UTV)
BBC Newsline - Creeslough (BBCNI)
UTV Live - Creeslough (UTV)
Specialist Factual:
WINNER - Brian Friel: Shy Man, Showman (Walk on Air Films and Ronachan Films)
Fergal Keane: Living with PTSD (State of Grace Films)
The White Handkerchief (Open Reel Productions)
Current Affairs:
WINNER - Spotlight: The Babymaker Uncovered (BBCNI)
Spotlight: Police, WhatsApp and Whistleblowers (BBCNI)
Up Close - Home Terror (UTV)
@BBCSpotlightNI winners @RTS_NI award for amazing investigation The Babymaker Uncovered @Jen_O_Leary @patrickfeebbc pic.twitter.com/w2tVG0IH8b
— guy grandjean (@guygrandjean) June 1, 2023
Original Music Score:
WINNER - Nowhere Special (Andrew Simon McAllister)
An Buachaill Gealghaireach: The Laughing Boy (Eleni Karaindrou; Imagine Media)
Wreck (Steve Lynch, Noemi Spanos, Chris Baugh, Ryan J Brown; Euston Films, Fremantle Media)
Factual Entertainment:
WINNER - The Fast and the Farmer-ish (Alleycats TV)
Ceol Le Toal (Big Mountain Productions)
Strawbridge over the Drawbridge (BBCNI)
Drama:
WINNER - Doineann (DoubleBand Films)
Bloodlands: Series 2 (Hat Trick Productions)
Wreck (Euston Films)
Lifestyle/Features:
WINNER - Chronicles of Strangford (Waddell Media)
B&B By The Sea (Afro-Mic Productions)
The Hotel People (Waddell Media)
Documentary:
WINNER - Young Plato: The Philosophy Boys of Ardoyne (Aisling Productions and Soilsiu Films)
James Joyce's Ulysses (DoubleBand Films and Lone Star Productions)
Quinn Country (Fine Point Films)
The Real Derry: Jamie-Lee O'Donnell (Tyrone Productions)
Comedy:
WINNER - Derry Girls 3 (Hat Trick Production)
Free Gaff (Green Inc Film & TV)
William of Orangedale (Hat Trick Productions NI)
Brian Waddell Award for Outstanding Contribution:
WINNER - James Martin
