Winners of the RTS NI Programme Awards announced

The winners of the Royal Television Society Northern Ireland (RTS NI) 9th Programme Awards, sponsored by Ka-Boom were announced last night (14 November) at a glittering awards ceremony in Titanic Belfast, hosted by presenter, podcaster, DJ and leading fitness expert Vogue Williams.

The Brian Waddell Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Industry went to TV presenter Pamela Ballantine who has charmed audiences across Northern Ireland for more than 40 years and continues to do so on Friday nights with UTV Life.

Pamela Ballantine said: “I am so honoured to receive this award, especially as I remember Brian Waddell who was Director of Programmes and an imposing and hugely respected figure when I started at UTV, 40 years ago.   I also had the pleasure of working with his company Waddell Media. He was a true legend and trailblazer for TV in Northern Ireland. It is a huge privilege to work in TV in Northern Ireland and I have loved getting the opportunity to meet some many amazing people from all walks of life. Long may it continue.”

Sarah McCaffrey, Chair of the RTS NI said: “It is a real pleasure to acknowledge the incredible talent of Pamela Ballantine who is an amazing role model for women working in our industry. Pamela is the ultimate professional, a brilliant presenter with a unique gift for making those she interviews feel like they are talking to a good friend. Behind the scenes she also gives so generously of her time as a wonderful ambassador for so many worthwhile causes. Congratulations to all our winners and nominees this year who represent the best of the exceptional content and talent now so evident in Northern Ireland and celebrated on the global stage.”

Gerard Stratton was announced as the first ever recipient of the RTS NI’s new Hidden Hero Award for his work as a Director with Triplevision, an ambitious disabled-led independent production company in West Belfast.

Georgia Parkinson, Chair of the RTS NI Awards said: “Gerard’s unwavering commitment to helping those in our society who need it most, sets him apart, making him a very worthy recipient of our first ever RTS NI Hidden Hero Award. His work is intergenerational and many people under his guidance have now secured work in the creative industries. I would like to thank all our judges who had such a difficult task this year as the quality of programming across all genres was so high.”

The Woman in the Wall won three awards with Ruth Wilson and Daryl McCormack picking up Best Actors and David Holmes and Brian Irvine winning Original Music Score for this spellbinding drama made by Motive Pictures for BBC & Showtime.

Homegrown police rookie drama Blue Lights made by Two Cities TV & Gallagher Films for BBC picked up two awards, the coveted Drama Award and also the Writer Award for Declan Lawn, Adam Patterson, Bronagh Taggart and Noel McCann.  James Blake was the Breakthrough winner for fronting the Hunting the Catfish Crime Gang made by Strident Media for BBC Three and BBC NI.

The 2 Johnnies Late Night Lock In by Green Inc Film & TV for RTÉ was the winner in the Entertainment and Comedy category while Waddell Media’s Coronation Tailors: Fit for a King for BBC 2 won the Factual Entertainment Award. Afro-Mic Productions won the Lifestyles and Features Award for Big Money Munch for My5 / BET.

A Kind of Spark won the Children’s / Animation Award for 9 Story Media Group for BBC; with the Documentary – Singles Award going to The Secret Army for BBC Northern Ireland and the Documentaries – Series Award to Once Upon a Time in Northern Ireland for Keo Films and Walk on Air Films for BBC Two and BBC NI.

The winner for News Coverage was BBC Newsline’s Lough Neagh Day report and the Current Affairs Award also went to BBC Northern Ireland for Spotlight – Blood on the Dance Floor.

Doubleband Films picked up two awards – Specialist Factual for My Name is Ottilie for BBC NI and BBC 4 and Post-Production for Ukraine: Holocaust Ground Zero for Channel 4.

The RTS NI Awards 2024 are partnered by BBC Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland Screen and Channel 4 with headline sponsor Ka-Boom with a special ‘Introducing Studio Ulster Welcome Reception at RTS NI Awards 2024’ and music partnership with The Nerve.

The RTS NI Award Winners for 2024 are listed below with this year’s finalists.  

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Actor – Female – sponsored by Panavision Belfast 

Winner: Ruth Wilson – The Woman in the Wall – Motive Pictures for BBC & Showtime 

Finalists: Hannah McClean – Blue Lights – Two Cities TV & Gallagher Films for BBC; Roisin Gallagher – The Lovers – Drama Republic for Sky Atlantic and Thaddea Graham – The Wreck – Euston Films and Fremantle Media for BBC Three. 

Actor – Male –sponsored by Hill Vellacott  

Winner: Daryl McCormack – The Woman in the Wall – Motive Pictures for BBC & Showtime 

Finalists:  Paddy Jenkins – Blue Lights – Two Cities TV & Gallagher Films for BBC; Simon Delaney – The Woman in the Wall – Motive Pictures for BBC & Showtime and Johnny Flynn – The Lovers – Drama Republic for Sky Atlantic.  

Breakthrough Award (On-screen and Off-screen) sponsored by Shoot Communications    

Winner: James Blake – Presenter, Hunting the Catfish Crime Gang – Strident Media for BBC Three and BBC NI 

Finalists: Ella Maisy Purvis – A Kind of Spark – 9 Story Media Group for BBC; Sarah Cummings, Quiz Question Researcher – Mastermind and The Finish Line – Nice One Productions for BBC and Bamber Todd, Actor, The Heist Before Christmas – SHUK & Calico Pictures for Sky Max.  

Children’s / Animation Award – sponsored by MMW Legal 

WINNER: A Kind of Spark (Series 2) – 9 Story Media Group for BBC 

Finalists: Silverpoint – Zodiak Kids & Family Productions UK for BBC & ZDF; Sullivan Sails – Alt Animation & Distillery Films for RTÉ and ODO – Mum – Sixteen South & Letko for Kika. 

Current Affairs – sponsored by DWF Law Belfast  

Winner: Spotlight – Blood on the Dance Floor for BBC Northern Ireland 

Finalists: Spotlight – I Spy for BBC Northern Ireland; BBC News – Sectarianism Next Door for BBC and Jailed: Inside Maghaberry Prison – Third Street Studios for BBC NI. 

Documentary – Singles sponsored by Queen’s University Belfast      

Winner: The Secret Army for BBC Northern Ireland     

Finalists: Taking Back Control – Fine Point Films for RTÉ; Lyra – Erica Starling Productions for Channel 4 / TG4 

and Murder of a GAA Chairman - Fine Point Films for RTÉ. 

Documentaries – Series – sponsored by Ulster Screen Academy 

Winner:  Once Upon a Time in Northern Ireland – Keo Films & Walk on Air Films for BBC Two and BBC NI 

Finalists: The Year that Rocked Irish Dancing – BBC NI; The Crime I Can’t Forget: The Search for a Serial Killer – Rare TV & Green Inc for BBC NI and House of Paisley – Walk on Air Films for BBC NI.  

Drama – sponsored by Yellowmoon 

Winner: Blue Lights – Two Cities TV & Gallagher Films for BBC 

Finalists:  The Woman in the Wall – Motive Pictures for BBC & Showtime; Breathtaking – HTM Television for ITV and The Lovers – Drama Republic for Sky Atlantic.  

 Entertainment & Comedy – sponsored by City Air Express 

Winner: The 2 Johnnies Late Night Lock In – Green Inc Film & TV for RTÉ 

Finalists: Celebrity Mastermind – Hindsight & Hat Trick Productions for BBC; Gradam Ceoil – Big Mountain Productions for TG4 and Darren & Joe’s Rugby Bandwagon – Green Inc Film & TV for RTÉ.  

Factual Entertainment – sponsored by Abbas Media Law 

Winner: Coronation Tailors: Fit for a King – Waddell Media for BBC Two 

Finalists: Britain’s Most Expensive Houses – Waddell Media for Channel 4; High Road, Low Road (S3) – Green Inc Film & TV for RTÉ and The Fast and the Farmer-ish (S2) – Alleycats for BBC Northern Ireland & BBC Three. 

Lifestyle and Features – sponsored by Sunbelt Rentals TV and Film  

Winner: Big Money Munch – Afro-Mic Productions for My5 / BET 

Finalists: The Chronicles of Belfast – Waddell Media for BBC; The Peninsula Nurses – Tyrone Productions for BBC NI and Restoration Rescue – Below the Radar for BBC NI.  

News Coverage – sponsored by Balloo Hire Centres  

Winner: BBC Newsline – Lough Neagh Day for BBC Northern Ireland 

Finalists: BBC Newsline – The Arrest of Sir Jeffrey Donaldson for BBC NI; UTV Live – Price of Perfection News Special for UTV and UTV Live – John Caldwell Shooting for UTV. 

Original Music Score – sponsored by The Nerve    

Winner: The Woman in the Wall – David Holmes and Brian Irvine – Motive Pictures for BBC & Showtime 

Finalists:  Lyra – David Holmes – Erica Starling Productions for Channel 4 / TG4; Isadora Moon – Score Draw Music – Kelebek Media for Sky Kids and Insomnia – Hannah Peel – Left Bank Pictures for Paramount Plus.  

Post-Production – sponsored by ScreenSkills High-end TV Fund  

Winner: Ukraine: Holocaust Ground Zero – DoubleBand Films for Channel 4 

Finalists: Silverpoint Season 2 – Enter Yes for Zodiak Kids UK; Pitch Invasion: How the Scottish and Irish Changed Football – DoubleBand Films for BBC NI and BBC Scotland and The Shamrock Tenors – St Patrick’s Night Concert – Walsh Entertainment for BBC NI. 

Specialist Factual – sponsored by NEP Ireland   

Winner: My Name is Ottilie – Doubleband Films for BBC Northern Ireland & BBC Four  

Finalists: Rúin nabPortach / Secrets in the Peat – Below the Radar for BBC NI and TG4, Ukraine: Holocaust Ground Zero – DoubleBand Films for Channel 4 and House of Paisley – Walk on Air Films for BBC NI.   

Writer – sponsored by ScreenSkills High-end TV Fund 

Winner: Blue Lights – Declan Lawn, Adam Patterson, Bronagh Taggart and Noel McCann for Two Cities TV & Gallagher Films for BBC  

Finalists: Hope Street (S2 Ep7) – Christine Murphy – Long Story TV for BBC / Britbox; The Lovers – David Ireland – Drama Republic for Sky Atlantic and The Woman in the Wall – Joe Murtagh – Motive Pictures for BBC & Showtime.  

Hidden Hero – sponsored by ScreenSkills High-end TV Fund 

Winner: Gerard Stratton, Director, Triplevision Productions

Brian Waddell Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Industry – sponsored by Ka-Boom 

2024 Recipient: Pamela Ballantine