Love Island among Broadcast Awards winners

6 February 2020

'Love Island' and 'The Virtues' were among the winners at the Broadcast Awards.

Love Island on Female First

The ITV2 dating show scooped the Best Entertainment Programme accolade at the event at London's Grosvenor House last night (05.02.20), and Channel 4's Stephen Graham-led drama 'The Virtues' won the Best Drama Series or Serial prize.

Stephen was delighted that the show was recognised, writing on Twitter: "Thank you"

A message on the awards' website about 'The Virtues' stated: "It transcends all expectations of TV drama to do something brave, raw and devastating."

And 'Love Island' - which was won by Amber Gill and Greg O'Shea last year - was praised for punching "above its weight class" and making people "feel every emotion you can watching TV".

Other winners on the night included 'Fleabag', which scooped the Best Comedy Programme, and 'Harry's Heroes: The Full English' won Best Popular Factual Programme.

Coverage of England's dramatic victory over New Zealand in the ICC Cricket World Cup Final 2019 won the Best Sports Programme accolade, and 'The Repair Shop' triumphed in the Best Daytime Programme category.

Kay Mellor - whose show 'The Syndicate' is to return to the BBC after a five-year break - was honoured with the Special Recognition award at the ceremony.

As well as 'The Syndicate', Kay has created the likes of British dramas 'Band of Gold', 'Playing the Field', and 'Fat Friends'.

More recently, she created and wrote 'Love, Lies and Records'.

What's more, 'Hollyoaks' was awarded Best Soap or Continuing Drama for being "most willing to take on challenging issues and do them justice, with clever character development".

A message on the show's Instagram account read: "#Hollyoaks have just won the award for Best Soap or Continuing Drama at the #BroadcastAwards! BEAMING WITH PRIDE! Thanks to all our fans, you truly are the best! 1#CelebrateDifference #DontFilterFeelings #Winners #TeamHollyoaks (sic)"

Broadcast Awards 2020 winners:

Best Entertainment Programme: Love Island

Best Drama Series or Serial: The Virtues

Best Comedy Programme: Fleabag

Best Independent Production Company: Studio Lambert

Best Post-Production House: Dock 10

Best Popular Factual Programme: Harry's Heroes: The Full English

Best Documentary Programme: Three Identical Strangers

Best Specialist Factual: The Interrogation of Tony Martin

Best Original Programme: They Shall Not Grow Old

Best Sports Programme: ICC Cricket World Cup Final 2019

Best Daytime Programme: The Repair Shop