Alma's Not Normal and Don't Hate The Playaz win Broadcast Awards
- Best Comedy Programme: Alma's Not Normal
- Best Entertainment Programme: Don't Hate The Playaz
The winners of the Broadcast Awards 2022 were revealed at a ceremony in London last night (10th February).
The awards, organised by the eponymous TV trade magazine, are much sought-after prizes by those who make television shows.
Alma's Not Normal won in the Best Comedy Programme category. The BBC Two series, which was broadcast in September and October, is written by and stars Sophie Willan.
Broadcast noted the series explored "some tough subjects for a sitcom, including poverty, growing up in care, addiction, homelessness, mental health and sex work, in a way that is totally joyous, wholly honest, and incredibly believable, according to one judge, who said they hadn't seen anything like it before".
One judge noted: "While raging at the system, Willan has created loveable, vulnerable and hilarious characters who will stay with you for a long time afterwards and truly make you think."
Another judge said the show tells a "compelling story in a truly original way", with a "perfect balance of joy, relentless jokes, brilliant characters, cast and performances".
"Just like Alma, the show is anything but normal," added another. "It's really special - moving, innovative and very, very funny."
Broadcast also noted the show, produced by Expectation, used local actors to add to authenticity to the series, which is set in Willan's home town of Bolton, while local care leavers were given opportunities to fill production roles.
Meanwhile, shortlisted show We Are Lady Parts was highly commended by the judges. Broadcast said: "In Nida Manzoor's subversive six-part musical comedy, PhD student Amima is persuaded to join a Muslim female punk band as their unlikely lead guitarist. Judges said the show challenges cultural norms and redefines how Muslim women are represented on screen."
The shortlist also featured Dreaming Whilst Black, Ghosts, Ladybaby and Starstruck.
Elsewhere in the awards, ITV2 panel show Don't Hate The Playaz won in the Best Entertainment Programme category, beating fellow nominees The Ranganation, I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here!, Strictly Come Dancing, The Masked Singer and Too Hot To Handle.
Broadcast said: "Don't Hate The Playaz blends the world of hip-hop with a traditional entertainment panel show format to create a dynamic series that revels in its anarchic spirit.
"Filming in a gig-style environment with minimal staging allows the audience and talent to take centre stage, adding to the authentic feel of the series, which made it 'a very fresh addition to ITV2', according to our judges.
"They were particularly impressed by its casting, which feels 'natural and connected to popular culture in a current, fresh way'. Rizzle Kicks star Jordan Stephens, Lady Leshurr and Maya Jama host, alongside a rich array of musicians and comic guests, including rap legends The Sugarhill Gang and Dizzee Rascal.
"The series also provided the first all black, all female line-up on a British panel show.
"Don't Hate The Playaz has gained a reputation for nurturing new talent. The broad rounds, which range from performing a love letter to your home town to rapping on a single breath, allow the talent to entertain with an authenticity that doesn't ever belittle or sell out its musical core.
"This has resulted in the ITV2 show successfully tapping into a diverse audience, in part because, according to one judge, it does not 'shoehorn in diversity, it embraces it'."
Other winners in the awards included the drama It's A Sin, documentary Clarkson's Farm and medical drama Casualty. The full list of winners across all categories can be see at broadcastawards.co.uk