Owen Cooper Takes Home Two Awards for ‘Adolescence’ at the Royal Television Society Awards

Adolescence garnered four awards at the Royal Television Society Programme Awards on Tuesday night, with Owen Cooper taking home two honors.

Following its impressive haul of 11 BAFTA nominations, Adolescence clinched the award for Best Limited Series. Additionally, Jack Thorne and Stephen Graham were recognized with the Best Writer – Drama award.

Cooper received accolades in the Supporting Actor – Male category for his portrayal of troubled teenager Jamie Miller in the Netflix series. He also won the Breakthrough Award, with judges commending him as “the real deal,” recognizing his “astounding new talent” that will resonate for years.

Other categories saw some surprises. Graham and Erin Doherty were not awarded in the Leading Actor and Supporting Actor – Female categories, where Bobby Schofield and Anna Friel respectively triumphed for their roles in BBC drama Unforgivable.

In other segments of the ceremony, LOL: Last One Laughing UK won the award for Best Comedy Entertainment show, while BBC One’s The Celebrity Traitors was honored in the Entertainment & Reality category.

Full List of Royal Television Society Programme Awards Winners:

Arts
WINNER – The Last Musician of Auschwitz (Two Rivers Media in association with Access for BBC)
Judges remarked, “An extraordinarily affecting film… this was a masterpiece.”
Nominees:
Nick Cave’s Veiled World (Supercollider for Sky Arts)
The Trouble With Mr Doodle (acme in association with Lightbox for Channel 4)

Breakthrough Award
WINNER – Owen Cooper – Adolescence (Warp Films, Matriarch Productions and Plan B for Netflix)
Judges hailed him as “an astounding new talent whose performance will live on in all our memories for many years.”
Nominees:
Ellis Howard – What It Feels Like for a Girl (Hera Pictures for BBC)
Kaydrah Walker-Wilkie – Just Act Normal (The Forge Entertainment for BBC)
Maximilian Fairley – Unforgotten (Mainstreet Pictures, ITV Studios and Masterpiece for ITV1/ITVX)

Children’s Programme
WINNER – Crongton (New Pictures for BBC)
Judges praised it for “authentic, engaging, contemporary storytelling, delivered with great confidence.”
Nominees:
Sky Kids Investigates: World. War. Me. (Fresh Start Media for Sky News)
Wolf King (Lime Pictures for Netflix)

Comedy Drama
WINNER – Big Boys (Roughcut TV for Channel 4)
Judges noted it “combines great comedy with genuine dramatic emotion – it’s a sublime piece of work.”
Nominees:
Dreaming Whilst Black (Big Deal Films for BBC)
Juice (Various Artists Limited for BBC)

Comedy Entertainment
WINNER – Last One Laughing (Zeppotron/Initial for Prime Video)
Judges described it as “genuinely unique – and never less than laugh-out-loud funny.”
Nominees:
Taskmaster (Avalon for Channel 4)
Would I Lie to You? (Zeppotron for BBC)

Comedy Performance – Female
WINNER – Philippa Dunne – Amandaland (Merman Television for BBC)
Judges remarked, “She makes an immediate impact the moment she arrives on screen.”
Nominees:
Jordan Gray – Transaction (Big Talk Studios for ITV2/ITVX)
Katherine Parkinson – Here We Go (BBC Studios Comedy for BBC)
Lucy Punch – Amandaland (Merman Television for BBC)

Comedy Performance – Male
WINNER – Steve Coogan – How Are You? It’s Alan (Partridge) (Baby Cow Productions for BBC)
Judges called it a “winning performance of definitive comic expertise.”
Nominees:
Adjani Salmon – Dreaming Whilst Black (Big Deal Films for BBC)
Jon Pointing – Big Boys (Roughcut TV for Channel 4)
Oliver Savell – Changing Ends (Baby Cow Productions for ITV1/ITVX)

Daytime Programme
WINNER – BBC Breakfast – Our Girls: The Southport Families (BBC Breakfast for BBC)
Judges said it was “produced with profound sensitivity, telling a beautiful story and articulating emotions.”
Nominees:
Loose Women (MultiStory Media, part of ITV Studios, for ITV1/ITVX)
The Marvellous Miniature Workshop (MGM Alternative for BBC)

Documentary Series
WINNER – Bibaa & Nicole: Murder in the Park (True Vision for Sky Documentaries)
Judges commented that it “told a deeply impactful story with great care.”
Nominees:
Boyzone: No Matter What (Curious Films for Sky Documentaries)
Murder 24/7 (Expectation TV for BBC)

Drama Series
WINNER – Blue Lights (Two Cities Television/Gallagher Films for BBC)
Judges described it as “a tense, nail-biting watch – a series so beautifully paced and immaculately written.”
Nominees:
Code of Silence (Mammoth Screen for ITV1/ITVX)
Slow Horses (See-Saw Films for Apple TV)
This City Is Ours (Left Bank Pictures for BBC)

Entertainment & Reality
WINNER – The Celebrity Traitors (Studio Lambert for BBC)
Judges called it “imaginatively cast and brilliantly produced, a real masterclass in popular television.”
Nominees:
Married at First Sight UK (CPL Productions for E4)
Race Across The World (Studio Lambert for BBC)

Entertainment Performance
WINNER – Rob Beckett & Romesh Ranganathan – Rob & Romesh Vs (CPL Productions for Sky Max)
Judges hailed it as “supremely entertaining at all times, and so funny.”
Nominees:
Romesh Ranganathan – Romesh: Can’t Knock the Hustle (Ranga Bee Productions for Sky Max)
Claudia Winkleman – The Celebrity Traitors (Studio Lambert for BBC)

Formatted Popular Factual
WINNER – The Assembly (Rockerdale Studios for ITV1/ITVX)
Judges praised it for “creating a space for difficult questions in a production crafted with real care.”
Nominees:
Go Back to Where You Came From (Minnow Films for Channel 4)
The Jury: Murder Trial (Screendog Productions for Channel 4)

History
WINNER – Flight 149: Hostage of War (Drum Studios for Sky Documentaries)
Judges described it as “a complex story told with profound clarity.”
Nominees:
Simon Schama: The Road to Auschwitz (Oxford Film for BBC)
Unforgotten: The Bradford City Fire (acme for BBC)

Leading Actor – Female
WINNER – Narges Rashidi – Prisoner 951 (Dancing Ledge Productions for BBC)
Judges noted it as “a winning performance that showed true range and depth.”
Nominees:
Rose Ayling-Ellis – Code Of Silence (Mammoth Screen for ITV1/ITVX)
Erin Doherty – A Thousand Blows (The Story Collective, Matriarch Productions and Water & Power Productions for Disney+)
Tamara Lawrance – Get Millie Black (Motive Pictures for Channel 4)

Leading Actor – Male
WINNER – Bobby Schofield – Unforgivable (LA Productions for BBC)
Judges cited it as “an outstanding performance of great control.”
Nominees:
Anthony Boyle – House of Guinness (Kudos and Nebulastar for Netflix)
Malachi Kirby – A Thousand Blows (The Story Collective, Matriarch Productions and Water & Power Productions for Disney+)
Stephen Graham – Adolescence (Warp Films, Matriarch Productions and Plan B for Netflix)

Limited Series and Single Drama
WINNER – Adolescence (Warp Films, Matriarch Productions and Plan B for Netflix)
Judges regarded it as “an immense achievement in programme making.”
Nominees:
Get Millie Black (Motive Pictures for Channel 4)
I Fought the Law (Hera Pictures for ITV1/ITVX)
What It Feels Like for a Girl (Hera Pictures for BBC)

Live Event
WINNER – Holocaust Memorial Day 2025 (BBC Studios Events for BBC)
Judges praised it for its thoughtful production and appropriate tone.
Nominees:
VE Day 80: A Celebration to Remember (BBC Studios Events for BBC)
Last Night of the Proms: Finale (Livewire Pictures for BBC)

Presenter
WINNER – Hamza Yassin – Hamza’s Hidden Wild Isles (Silverback Films for BBC)
Judges commended his deep understanding and passion for the subject matter.
Nominees:
Martin Lewis – The Martin Lewis Money Show Live (MultiStory Media, part of ITV Studios, for ITV1/ITVX)
Davina McCall – Stand Up To Cancer: Cancer Clinic Live (Bango Studios & HiddenLight Productions for Channel 4)

Science & The Natural World
WINNER – Underdogs (Wildstar Films, a Fremantle company, in partnership with Maximum Effort for National Geographic and Disney+)
Judges called the programme “completely original in many ways, an absolutely stunning watch.”
Nominees:
Confessions Of A Brain Surgeon (Curious Films for BBC)
Pangolin: Kulu’s Journey (Anonymous Content, Dog Star and Water Creature for Netflix)

Scripted Comedy
WINNER – Things You Should Have Done (Roughcut TV for BBC)
Judges appreciated its “strong, original voice,” delivering joy and absurdity.
Nominees:
Here We Go (BBC Studios Comedy for BBC)
How Are You? It’s Alan (Partridge) (Baby Cow Productions for BBC)
Such Brave Girls (Various Artists Limited for BBC)

Single Documentary
WINNER – Grenfell: Uncovered (Rogan Productions for Netflix)
Judges called it “an important film with devastating testimonies.”
Nominees:
Gaza: Doctors Under Attack (Basement Films for Channel 4)
Groomed: A National Scandal (Candour Productions for Channel 4)

Soap and Continuing Drama
WINNER – EastEnders (BBC Studios for BBC)
Judges stated it had “the full package – fine performances, strong writing, and fantastic production values.”
Nominees:
Casualty (BBC Studios for BBC)
Hollyoaks (Lime Pictures for Channel 4)

Sports Presenter, Commentator or Pundit
WINNER – Gabby Logan – Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 (Whisper Cymru for BBC)
Judges praised her as “a consummate professional who sets the gold standard.”
Nominees:
Alex Jacques – 2025 Formula 1 Highlights (Whisper for Channel 4)
Ruby Tui – Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 (Whisper Cymru for BBC)

Sports Programme
WINNER – 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (Sky Sports)
Judges described it as “a gripping watch, blending innovation with superb storytelling.”
Nominees:
UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 Final (Sunset+Vine for BBC)
Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 (Whisper Cymru for BBC)

Supporting Actor – Female
WINNER – Anna Friel – Unforgivable (LA Productions for BBC)
Judges noted her “powerful, authentic… and utterly truthful” performance.
Nominees:
Aimee Lou Wood – Toxic Town (Broke & Bones for Netflix)
Erin Doherty – Adolescence (Warp Films, Matriarch Productions and Plan B for Netflix)
Saskia Reeves – Slow Horses (See-Saw Films for Apple TV)

Supporting Actor – Male
WINNER – Owen Cooper – Adolescence (Warp Films, Matriarch Productions and Plan B for Netflix)
Judges praised his “phenomenal skill in a demanding role.”
Nominees:
Alexej Manvelov – Dept. Q (Left Bank Pictures for Netflix)
Christopher Chung – Slow Horses (See-Saw Films for Apple TV)
Joshua McGuire – The Gold (Tannadice Pictures, part of Objective Media Group for BBC)

Writer – Comedy
WINNER – Kat Sadler – Such Brave Girls (Various Artists Limited for BBC)
Judges called this work “uncompromisingly bold and extremely funny.”
Nominees:
Adjani Salmon & Ali Hughes – Dreaming Whilst Black (Big Deal Films for BBC)
Tom Basden – Here We Go (BBC Studios Comedy for BBC)
Jack Rooke – Big Boys (Roughcut TV for Channel 4)

Writer – Drama
WINNER – Jack Thorne & Stephen Graham – Adolescence (Warp Films, Matriarch Productions and Plan B for Netflix)
Judges described their writing as “outstanding and exceptional,” setting a “very high benchmark.”
Nominees:
Adam Patterson & Declan Lawn – Blue Lights (Two Cities Television/Gallagher Films for BBC)
Catherine Moulton – Code of Silence (Mammoth Screen for ITV1/ITVX)
Sally Wainwright – Riot Women (Drama Republic for BBC and BritBox)

Judges’ Award
WINNER – Stephen Graham, Hannah Walters and Matriarch Productions

Outstanding Achievement Award
WINNER – Sir Michael Palin