Royle Family wins Royal Television Society Awards
The Royle Family: The Queen of Sheba triumphed at last night's Royal Television Society awards beating off Green Wing and Extras to take the comedy award. Writers Caroline Aherne, Craig Cash and Phil Mealey also scooped the prize for best Comedy Writer. The society commented that The Royle Family was "a welcome return to an old friend that felt as fresh and original as ever, effortlessly combining laugh out loud comedy with pathos."
Meanwhile Extras star Stephen Merchant won the award for Best Comedy Performance, beating Catherine Tate and Kevin Bishop (from Channel 4's Star Stories). Simon Amstell, the new Never Mind The Buzzcocks presenter was chosen over Harry Hill, Justin Lee Collins/Alan Carr for the Entertainment Performance award and Lee Mack and Andrew Collins, the writers of Not Going Out were presented with the Behind the Screen Breakthrough Award. The society described Not Going Out as "a real treat - well observed and well-written, with a stream of non-stop, laugh-out loud gags."
Elsehwere in London The Mighty Boosh, Jason Byrne and Robin Ince all triumphed in this year's Chortle Awards held at the Soho Revue Bar.