BAFTA Television Awards 2011: The Winners

The BAFTA Television Awards were held last night. Below you can read the full list of winners, a reminder of my largely incorrect predictions, and a few thoughts on the outcomes:

Leading Actor

• Jim Broadbent - Any Human Heart (Channel 4)
• Benedict Cumberbatch - Sherlock (BBC One) – PREDICTION
• Daniel Rigby - Eric & Ernie (BBC Two) - WINNER
• Matt Smith - Doctor Who (BBC One)

My thoughts: One of the night's big surprises, as everyone thought it was a toss-up between Cumberbatch and Smith, but BAFTA seemed to prefer the accuracy of Daniel Rigby's Eric Morecambe impersonation. I don't agree it was the best performance, but it was a good performance.

Leading Actress

• Anna Maxwell Martin - South Riding (BBC One)
• Vicky McClure - This Is England '86 (Channel 4) - PREDICTION / WINNER
• Natalie Press - Five Daughters (BBC One)
• Juliet Stevenson - Accused (BBC One)

My thoughts: I suspected McClure would win for This Is England '86, and win she did. I'm pleased, mainly because she's a relatively fresh talent on the scene.

Supporting Actor

• Brendan Coyle - Downton Abbey (ITV1)
• Martin Freeman - Sherlock (BBC One) - WINNER
• Johnny Harris - This Is England '86 (Channel 4)
• Robert Sheehan - Misfits (E4) - PREDICTION

My thoughts: I thought Sheehan would scrape a win as a rising star, but Freeman took home the BAFTA. I really don't mind, as playing Watson to a Sherlock is the very definition of a supporting role.

Supporting Actress

• Gillian Anderson - Any Human Heart (Channel 4)
• Lynda Baron - The Road To Coronation Street (BBC Four)
• Lauren Socha - Misfits (E4) - WINNER
• Jessie Wallace - The Road To Coronation Street (BBC Four) - PREDICTION

My thoughts: A big surprise! I love Misfits, but I don't really see what's so special about Socha's performance--she's essentially playing herself, and her character didn't even get much to do in series 2. Maybe BAFTA love human-gorilla love stories?

Entertainment Performance

• Rob Brydon - The Rob Brydon Show (BBC Two)
• Stephen Fry - QI (BBC One)
• Harry Hill - Harry Hill's TV Burp (ITV1)
• Graham Norton - The Graham Norton Show (BBC One) - PREDICTION / WINNER

My thoughts: Pleased to see I got this one right, as Norton's three-guest format is surprisingly joyous most of the time, and the quality of his Friday night guests has shot up recently.

Female Performance In A Comedy Programme

• Jo Brand - Getting On (BBC Four) - WINNER
• Dawn French - Roger & Val Have Just Got In (BBC Two)
• Miranda Hart - Miranda (BBC Two) - PREDICTION
• Katherine Parkinson - The IT Crowd (Channel 4)

My thoughts: Oh dear, what's going on? Brand's such a tedious screen presence, I'm not sure what happened here. I guess it's not as "lazy" as picking Hart, but Dawn French deserved the BAFTA over Brand.

Male Performance In A Comedy Programme

• James Buckley - The Inbetweeners (E4)
• Steve Coogan - The Trip (BBC Two) - WINNER
• Tom Hollander - Rev (BBC Two) - PREDICTION
• David Mitchell - Peep Show (Channel 4)

My thoughts: I'm okay with this win for Steve Coogan, who's was very good in The Trip.

Single Drama

• Eric & Ernie (BBC Two) - PREDICTION
• I Am Slave (Channel 4)
• The Road to Coronation Street (BBC Four) - WINNER
• The Special Relationship (BBC Two)

My thoughts: Disappointed BAFTA went with The Road To Coronation Street over Eric & Ernie, but it was a close call.

Drama Series

• Being Human (BBC Three)
• Downton Abbey (ITV1) - PREDICTION
• Misfits (E4)
• Sherlock (BBC One) - WINNER

My thoughts: Pleasantly surprised--I predicted Downton Abbey, but actually wanted Sherlock to win. Maybe voters had enough distance from both shows to make this correct judgement?

Drama Serial

• Any Human Heart (Channel 4) - WINNER
• Mad Dogs (Sky1)
• The Sinking Of The Laconia (BBC Two)
• The Promise (Channel 4) - PREDICTION

My thoughts: Hmmm, Any Human Heart starred award-magnet Jim Broadbent, I forgot.

Continuing Drama

• Casualty (BBC One)
• Coronation Street (ITV1)
• EastEnders (BBC One) - PREDICTION / WINNER
• Waterloo Road (BBC One)

My thoughts: Yeah, wha'ever.

International

• Boardwalk Empire (Sky Atlantic/HBO)
• Glee (E4/Twentieth Century Fox)
• The Killing (BBC Four/DR/ZDF Enterprises) - PREDICTION / WINNER
• Mad Men (BBC Four/Lionsgate Television)

My thoughts: See! I knew The Killing would beat that competition. It has subtitles and it's in a foreign language.

Factual Series

• Coppers (Channel 4)
• One Born Every Minute (Channel 4) - PREDICTION
• Welcome To Lagos (BBC Two) - WINNER
• The Young Ones (BBC One)

My thoughts: I can't really comment--I didn't see Welcome To Lagos.

Specialist Factual

• Alan Bennett & The Habit Of Art (The Making Of) (More4)
• Flying Monsters 3D (Sky3D) - WINNER
• Human Planet (BBC One) - PREDICTION
• Pompeii: Life and Death in a Roman Town (BBC Two)

My thoughts: Really? I didn't see the show, but the clips of Flying Monsters looked rather weak. Are BAFTA closet 3D fans? Or did the Sir David Attenborough attachment swing it?

Single Documentary

• Between Life and Death (BBC One) - WINNER
• The Dancing Boys of Afghanistan (More4)
• Pink Saris (More4)
• Scenes From A Teenage Killing (BBC Four)

My thoughts: I didn't see any of those.

Features

• Come Dine With Me (Channel 4)
• Hugh's Fish Fight (Channel 4) - WINNER
• Mary Queen of Shops (BBC Two)
• Pineapple Dance Studios (Sky1) - PREDICTION

My thoughts: Really? Wonders never cease.

Current Affairs

• Kids In Care (Panorama) (BBC One)
• Lost Girls of South Africa (Dispatches) (Channel 4)
• Secret Iraq (BBC Two)
• Zimbabwe's Forgotten Children (BBC Four) - WINNER

My thoughts: I missed them all.

News Coverage

• BBC One Ten O'Clock News: Handover of Power (BBC One/BBC News 24)
• Channel 4 News: From Chile's Ecstasy to Congo's Agony (Channel 4)
• ITV News At Ten: The Cumbria Murders (ITV1) - WINNER
• Sky News: Egypt Crisis (Sky News)

My thoughts: Again, strange category to judge.

Sport

• 6 Nations: England v Wales (BBC One)
• FA Cup Final: Chelsea v Portsmouth (ITV1)
• Formula 1: The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (BBC One) - WINNER
• Wimbledon 2010 (BBC One)

My thoughts: This is always a strange category. Is any of the coverage appreciably better?

New Media

• LabUK/Brain Test Britain
• Misfits
• Malcolm Tucker: The Missing Phone
• Wallace and Gromit's World of Invention - PREDICTION / WINNER

My thoughts: Wallace & Gromit were probably the only example of new media anyone was actually aware of. But where was Becoming Human in the nominations? That webseries was so good it actually got aired as a special by BBC3!

Entertainment Programme

• The Cube (ITV1) - PREDICTION / WINNER
• The Graham Norton Show (BBC One)
• Have I Got News For You (BBC One)
• The X Factor (ITV1)

My thoughts: I have a soft spot for ITV's The Cube, despite its repetitiveness, so I'm glad it won. It beats having The X Factor dominate the category.

Comedy Programme

• Catherine Tate's Little Cracker (Sky1)
• Come Fly With Me (BBC One) - PREDICTION
• Facejacker (E4)
• Harry and Paul (BBC Two) - WINNER

My thoughts: Oh wow, a slight upset for Matt Lucas and David Walliams' mockumentary Come Fly With Me. The BBC were close to axing Harry & Paul, too!

Situation Comedy

• Mrs Brown's Boys (BBC One)
• Peep Show (Channel 4)
• Rev (BBC Two) - WINNER
• The Trip (BBC Two) - PREDICTION

My thoughts: Slightly disappointed, but I know Rev has its fans. It's very BAFTA, isn't it.

BAFTA Special Award
Peter Bennett-Jones
producer, talent agent, Comic Relief co-creator

YouTube Audience Award

• Downton Abbey
• Miranda
• My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding
• Sherlock
• The Killing
• The Only Way Is Essex - WINNER

BAFTA Fellowship

Sir Trevor McDonald
journalist, newsreader

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BAFTA Television Awards 2011: The Nominees

The BAFTA Television nominees have been announced for 2011, ahead of the ceremony in London on 22 May. The full list is below, together with some predictions and thoughts from yours truly:

Leading Actor

• Jim Broadbent - Any Human Heart (Channel 4)
• Benedict Cumberbatch - Sherlock (BBC One) – PREDICTION
• Daniel Rigby - Eric & Ernie (BBC Two)
• Matt Smith - Doctor Who (BBC One)

My thoughts: It's great to see Matt Smith get his first nod, but I have a suspicion BAFTA have grown bored of Doctor Who dominating awards and will instead plump for the panache of Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes. Daniel Rigby's an outside change, with a good comic performance. I didn't see Any Human Heart, so can't comment on Jim Broadbent.

Leading Actress

• Anna Maxwell Martin - South Riding (BBC One)
• Vicky McClure - This Is England '86 (Channel 4) - PREDICTION
• Natalie Press - Five Daughters (BBC One)
• Juliet Stevenson - Accused (BBC One)

My thoughts: It has to be Vicky McClure with her spunky performance in This Is England '86; the attempted rape scene alone should bag her the BAFTA.

Supporting Actor

• Brendan Coyle - Downton Abbey (ITV1)
• Martin Freeman - Sherlock (BBC One)
• Johnny Harris - This Is England '86 (Channel 4)
• Robert Sheehan - Misfits (E4) - PREDICTION

My thoughts: Robert Sheehan's leaving Misfits, so what better way to honour a truly breakout performance that became 50% of the reason many people watched a silly-sounding teen superhero drama. Martin Freeman also did great work on Sherlock, while Johnny Harris was marvelous in This Is England '86. I didn't see enough of Downton Abbey to comment on Brendan Coyle.

Supporting Actress

• Gillian Anderson - Any Human Heart (Channel 4)
• Lynda Baron - The Road To Coronation Street (BBC Four)
• Lauren Socha - Misfits (E4)
• Jessie Wallace - The Road To Coronation Street (BBC Four) - PREDICTION

My thoughts: I didn't see enough of these to comment, but I doubt Lauren Socha's done enough to warrant a win for Misfits. My gut says Jessie Wallace may snatch it.

Entertainment Performance

• Rob Brydon - The Rob Brydon Show (BBC Two)
• Stephen Fry - QI (BBC One)
• Harry Hill - Harry Hill's TV Burp (ITV1)
• Graham Norton - The Graham Norton Show (BBC One) - PREDICTION

My thoughts: The usual suspects, eh? I say Graham Norton's the only person who really has to stretch and adapt on his show, so deserves the win more than the rest.

Female Performance In A Comedy Programme

• Jo Brand - Getting On (BBC Four)
• Dawn French - Roger & Val Have Just Got In (BBC Two)
• Miranda Hart - Miranda (BBC Two) - PREDICTION
• Katherine Parkinson - The IT Crowd (Channel 4)

My thoughts: Miranda Hart's probably going to walk away with the prize, after her British Comedy Awards success.

Male Performance In A Comedy Programme

• James Buckley - The Inbetweeners (E4)
• Steve Coogan - The Trip (BBC Two)
• Tom Hollander - Rev (BBC Two) - PREDICTION
• David Mitchell - Peep Show (Channel 4)

My thoughts: Steve Coogan was great, but Tom Hollander's a new face in this category and really Rev into the surprise hit it was.

Single Drama

• Eric & Ernie (BBC Two) - PREDICTION
• I Am Slave (Channel 4)
• The Road to Coronation Street (BBC Four)
• The Special Relationship (BBC Two)

My thoughts: Eric & Ernie was fantastic, so I'd love to see it win. The Special Relationship didn't quite come together, and I can't see the other being crowned ahead of E&E.

Drama Series

• Being Human (BBC Three)
• Downton Abbey (ITV1) - PREDICTION
• Misfits (E4)
• Sherlock (BBC One)

My thoughts: Misfits won last year, so I doubt it'll do the double. My heart wants Sherlock to win, but Downton Abbey has a better chance.

Drama Serial

• Any Human Heart (Channel 4)
• Mad Dogs (Sky1)
• The Sinking Of The Laconia (BBC Two)
• The Promise (Channel 4) - PREDICTION

My thoughts: I didn't see enough, so can't really comment here. Mad Dogs was good, but the last two episodes soured a terrific start. I suspect The Promise will win.

Continuing Drama

• Casualty (BBC One)
• Coronation Street (ITV1)
• EastEnders (BBC One) - PREDICTION
• Waterloo Road (BBC One)

My thoughts: It's a coin toss, right? EastEnders, then.

International

• Boardwalk Empire (Sky Atlantic/HBO)
• Glee (E4/Twentieth Century Fox)
• The Killing (BBC Four/DR/ZDF Enterprises) - PREDICTION
• Mad Men (BBC Four/Lionsgate Television)

My thoughts: You'd think Boardwalk Empire, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say the surprise success of BBC4's Danish import The Killing will give it a victory. Even if the show's actually years old now.

Factual Series

• Coppers (Channel 4)
• One Born Every Minute (Channel 4) - PREDICTION
• Welcome To Lagos (BBC Two)
• The Young Ones (BBC One)

My thoughts: One Born Every Minute is the only show anyone's been talking about, so...

Specialist Factual

• Alan Bennett & The Habit Of Art (The Making Of) (More4)
• Flying Monsters 3D (Sky3D)
• Human Planet (BBC One) - PREDICTION
• Pompeii: Life and Death in a Roman Town (BBC Two)

My thoughts: It has to be Human Planet, surely.

Single Documentary

• Between Life and Death (BBC One)
• The Dancing Boys of Afghanistan (More4)
• Pink Saris (More4)
• Scenes From A Teenage Killing (BBC Four)

My thoughts: I can't comment.

Features

• Come Dine With Me (Channel 4)
• Hugh's Fish Fight (Channel 4)
• Mary Queen of Shops (BBC Two)
• Pineapple Dance Studios (Sky1) - PREDICTION

My thoughts: Pineapple Dance Studios really exploded for Sky and unleashed Louis Spence on us. They're even reward it for that.

Current Affairs

• Kids In Care (Panorama) (BBC One)
• Lost Girls of South Africa (Dispatches) (Channel 4)
• Secret Iraq (BBC Two)
• Zimbabwe's Forgotten Children (BBC Four)

My thoughts: I can't comment.

News Coverage

• BBC One Ten O'Clock News: Handover of Power (BBC One/BBC News 24)
• Channel 4 News: From Chile's Ecstasy to Congo's Agony (Channel 4)
• ITV News At Ten: The Cumbria Murders (ITV1)
• Sky News: Egypt Crisis (Sky News)

My thoughts: I can't comment, but I tend to prefer BBC news.

Sport

• 6 Nations: England v Wales (BBC One)
• FA Cup Final: Chelsea v Portsmouth (ITV1)
• Formula 1: The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (BBC One)
• Wimbledon 2010 (BBC One)

My thoughts: I'm drawing a blank, but Formula 1 coverage always looks more complex and cutting-edge on TV.

New Media

• LabUK/Brain Test Britain
• Misfits
• Malcolm Tucker: The Missing Phone
• Wallace and Gromit's World of Invention - PREDICTION

My thoughts: I'm not sure, but I think Wallace & Gromit did more to bridge the media gap with kids.

Entertainment Programme

• The Cube (ITV1) - PREDICTION
• The Graham Norton Show (BBC One)
• Have I Got News For You (BBC One)
• The X Factor (ITV1)

My thoughts: The X Factor will probably win, but I'll predict The Cube because it's fresher and deserves more acknowledgment.

Comedy Programme

• Catherine Tate's Little Cracker (Sky1)
• Come Fly With Me (BBC One) - PREDICTION
• Facejacker (E4)
• Harry and Paul (BBC Two)

My thoughts: Come Fly With Me is more high profile, so it'll win.

Situation Comedy

• Mrs Brown's Boys (BBC One)
• Peep Show (Channel 4)
• Rev (BBC Two)
• The Trip (BBC Two) - PREDICTION

My thoughts: I'd say it's between Rev and The Trip, but the latter gets my vote.

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Oscars 2011: The Results

The 83rd annual Academy Awards were held last night at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California. Did you watch? I'll try and catch the highlights, mainly to see the various sketches that hosts James Franco and Anne Hathaway did. As for the winners: The King's Speech was the big hit with four awards (Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Director, Best Screenplay), and I was pleased to see Natalie Portman win Best Actress for Black Swan. It boggles my mind that Tom Hooper can win Best Director over David Fincher or Darren Aronofsky for The King's Speech, though. And Christian Bale got Best Supporting Actor, proving Tropic Thunder wrong. You really can go "full retard" and be a success.

The full results are below. What did you make of the evening?

BEST PICTURE

• 127 Hours
• Black Swan
• The Fighter
• Inception
• Toy Story 3
• The Kids Are All Right
• The King's Speech WINNER
• The Social Network
• True Grit
• Winter's Bone

BEST ACTOR

• Javier Bardem - Biutiful
• Jeff Bridges - True Grit
• Colin Firth - The King's Speech WINNER
• Jesse Eisenberg - The Social Network
• James Franco - 127 Hours

BEST ACTRESS

• Michelle Williams - Blue Valentine
• Natalie Portman - Black Swan WINNER
• Annette Bening - The Kids Are All Right
• Jennifer Lawrence - Winter's Bone
• Nicole Kidman - Rabbit Hole

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

• Christian Bale - The Fighter WINNER
• John Hawkes - Winter's Bone
• Jeremy Renner - The Town
• Mark Ruffalo - The Kids Are All Right
• Geoffrey Rush - The King's Speech

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

• Melissa Leo - The Fighter WINNER
• Amy Adams - The Fighter
• Helena Bonham Carter - The King's Speech
• Hailee Steinfeld - True Grit
• Jacki Weaver - Animal Kingdom

BEST DIRECTOR

• Darren Aronofsky - Black Swan
• Joel &Ethan Coen - True Grit
• David O Russell - The Fighter
• David Fincher - The Social Network
• Tom Hooper - The King's Speech WINNER

BEST ANIMATED FILM

• Toy Story 3 WINNER
• How To Train Your Dragon
• The Illusionist

BEST SCREENPLAY WRITTEN DIRECTLY FOR THE SCREEN

• Another Year
• Inception
• The Kids Are All Right
• The Fighter
• The King's Speech WINNER

BEST SCREENPLAY BASED ON MATERIAL PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED

• 127 Hours
• The Social Network WINNER
• Toy Story 3
• True Grit
• Winter's Bone

BEST FOREIGN FILM

• Biutiful (Mexico)
• In A Better World (Denmark) WINNER
• Outside The Law (Algeria)
• Incendies (Canada)
• Dogtooth (Greece)

BEST ART DIRECTION

• Alice In Wonderland WINNER
• Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 1
• Inception
• The King's Speech
• True Grit

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

• Black Swan
• Inception WINNER
• The King's Speech
• The Social Network
• True Grit

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

• Alice In Wonderland WINNER
• I Am Love
• The King's Speech
• The Tempest
• True Grit

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

• Exit Through The Gift Shop
• Gasland
• Inside Job WINNER
• Restrepo
• Wasteland

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT

• Killing In The Name
• Poster Girl
• Strangers No More WINNER
• Sun Come Up
• The Warriors Of Qiugang

BEST EDITING

• Black Swan
• The Fighter
• The King's Speech
• 127 Hours
• The Social Network WINNER

BEST MAKEUP

• Barney's Version
• The Way Back
• The Wolfman WINNER

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

• How To Train Your Dragon
• Inception
• The King's Speech
• 127 Hours
• The Social Network WINNER

BEST ORIGINAL SONG

• 'Coming Home' (Country Strong)
• 'I See The Light' (Tangled)
• 'If I Rise' (127 Hours)
• 'We Belong Together' (Toy Story 3) WINNER

BEST SOUND EDITING

• Inception WINNER
• Toy Story 3
• Tron: Legacy
• True Grit
• Unstoppable

BEST SOUND MIXING

• Inception WINNER
• Salt
• The King's Speech
• The Social Network
• True Grit

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

• Alice In Wonderland
• Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 1
• Hereafter
• Inception WINNER
• Iron Man 2

BEST ANIMATED SHORT

• Day & Night
• The Gruffalo
• Let's Pollute
• The Lost Thing WINNER
• Madagascar, A Journey Diary

BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT

• The Confession
• The Crush
• God Of Love WINNER
• Na Wewe
• Wish 143

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Talking Point: will you be watching the Oscars?

This is primarily a TV blog, but I cover movies occasionally, so what are you thoughts on this Sunday's Oscars? Is Natalie Portman a shoo in for Best Actress? Can anyone beat Colin Firth to Best Actor? Is The Social Network going to steal Best Picture from The King's Speech? Or don't you care about any of this pomp and ceremony?

I won't be watching. I don't think I've seen the Oscars more than a handful of times in my entire life, as it's always shown so late in the UK. I think it starts at half-one in the morning this year? That's ridiculous! Why don't they hold the Oscars on a Saturday? It would undoubtedly boost the worldwide ratings, as most people in unfortunate time-zones DO want to watch it, but they have work on Monday morning. By the time I consider watching the next day's highlights, I already know all the results, so can rarely summon the enthusiasm.

And what do you make of James Franco and Anne Hathaway co-hosting? A good, unexpected choice? Are you braced for a disaster, as neither of them are comedians? I hear they're going to be performing a dance number from Grease, which means Hathaway will perhaps give fanboys a taste of her Catwoman by slipping on Olivia Newton-John-style leathers. Worth setting the DVR for, I reckon.

I was delighted to see 40+ comments in my previous Talking Point, so hope you all get stuck into this topic, below. Have at it!

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National Television Awards 2011: Winners

I didn't watch the National Television Awards live this year, but feel like I dodged a bullet. As everything's chosen by the public, it's too mainstream to be a barometer of quality in UK TV, just popularity. For instance, nothing for This Is England '86 or Misfits? No, the NTA's focus is the primetime hits of BBC, ITV and Channel 4, with an emphasis on light enterainment and soaps. It's an awards ceremony that thinks Peter Andre's fly-on-the-wall series is one of the best things on digital TV, so treat it with the contempt that fact deserves. But here are the results and my brief thoughts on the winners:

Best Talent Show

• Dancing On Ice (ITV)
• Britain's Got Talent (ITV)
• Strictly Come Dancing (BBC)
• The X Factor (ITV) WINNER

My thoughts: Inevitable, but deserved. Love it or loathe it, The X Factor's the only reality show that seems to appeal to a huge number of people, fuels the majority of tabloid stories for four months, and becomes a talking point across the nation's playgrounds and offices by Monday morning. Gamu, Wagner, malaria, Cher Lloyd, Matt Cardle, they all became 2010 buzzwords because of Simon Cowell's brainchild.

Best Comedy Programme

• Benidorm (ITV) WINNER
• Harry Hill's TV Burp (ITV)
• Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow (BBC)
• Outnumbered (BBC)

My thoughts: That must be a joke. I have no idea what dark spell was cast to make Benidorm win, especially as most of its fans will admit the show's past its best.

Best Drama

• Doctor Who (BBC)
• Shameless (Channel 4)
• Sherlock (BBC)
• Waterloo Road (BBC) WINNER

My thoughts: The most ludicrous win of the whole shebang. It's admittedly a shame Doctor Who has a strangehold on this category every year, but Sherlock deserved to triumph as the new kid on the block that wowed the nation. Waterloo Road? I mean, that's simply ludicrous. Absolutely insane.

Best Drama Performance

• Philip Glenister (Ashes To Ashes)
• David Jason (A Touch Of Frost) WINNER
• Matt Smith (Doctor Who)
• Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock)

My thoughts: Good lord. I guess having "national treasure" status still has its advantages, particularly if you're retiring a beloved character from a long-running TV show. Cumberbatch was robbed, Smith perhaps deserved recognition of the difficult job he had replacing David Tennant in the nation's heart, and Glenister had an outside chance because of his fine work in the Ashes To Ashes finale. David Jason? Holy mackeral.

Best Digital Choice

• Glee (E4)
• Peter Andre: The Next Chapter (ITV)
• The Inbetweeners (E4) WINNER

My thoughts: Yeah, I'm fine with that. If Peter Andre had won, I'd have punched someone.

Best Factual Programme

• Celebrity MasterChef (BBC)
• Junior Apprentice (BBC)
• Top Gear (BBC) WINNER
• Who Do You Think You Are? (BBC)

My thoughts: Yawn. Junior Apprentice was the surprise success, if you ask me. That show could have been a total disaster, but managed to give the regular adult version a run for its money.

Best Serial Drama

• Coronation Street (ITV)
• EastEnders (BBC) WINNER
• Emmerdale (ITV)
• Hollyoaks (Channel 4)

My thoughts: In Coronation Street's 50th year, coming off the back of its week-long tram disaster live episodes, rival EastEnders wins? A soap that recently caused uproat over a cot death/baby swap storyline and made everyone laugh at the sight of Phil Mitchell on crack. That's just an insult.

Best Serial Drama Performance

• Katherine Kelly (Coronation Street)
• Steve McFadden (EastEnders)
• Lacey Turner (EastEnders) WINNER
• Danny Miller (Emmerdale)

My thoughts: I don't watch enough soaps these days, but I wouldn't be surprised if Lacey Turner's win was partly influenced by the fact she's just left EastEnders, a la David Jason's win for A Touch Of Frost. Still, of those nominees, I daresay she still delivered the best performance. Anyone watch enough 'Enders to confirm this?

Best Topical Magazine Programme

• BBC Breakfast (BBC)
• Loose Women (ITV)
• This Morning (ITV) WINNER

My thoughts: Yeah, fine. What a dispiriting trio of nominees, though.

Best Newcomer

• Paula Lane (Coronation Street)
• Ricky Norwood (EastEnders) WINNER
• Marc Silcock (Emmerdale)
• Olga Fedori (Holby City)

My thoughts: Who they?

Best Entertainment Programme

• Big Brother (Channel 4)
• I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! (ITV) WINNER
• Mock The Week (BBC)
• QI (BBC)

My thoughts: Do me a favour! Big Brother delivered a good swansong in 2010 and it would have been nice to recognize its impact over the decade. I guess I'm A Celeb has more reach, being on ITV and perceived as a reality series it's "okay" to enjoy.

Best Entertainment Presenter

• Ant & Dec WINNER
• Davina McCall
• Dermot O'Leary
• Paul O'Grady

My thoughts: For the tenth year in a row, no less! "The Ant & Decade" That's an incredible feat, although I think McCall and O'Leary have a much tougher job on their respetive shows.

Special Recognition Award
Bruce Forysth

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The British Comedy Awards 2011: Winners

The British Comedy Awards have always been my favourite awards ceremony, for a number of reasons:

• They're the only awards bash I've seen every year, since they started in 1990.
• I tend to have seen most things nominated, which means I have a more rounded opinion on everything.
• It's usually the funniest awards bash of the year, as you'd probably expect.
• There's a sense of danger to it (especially when it's broadcast live), and its moments of anarchy have gone down in British comedy legend.

So was 2011 a vintage year for the BCA's last night? Well, no. It didn't help that there's been so much hype from Channel 4, who poached the awards from ITV. They ran a huge number of promos for it, ensured most of the nominees appeared on shows like Chatty Man, then commissioned a week-long series with Bill Bailey interviewing comedians about their favourite comedies. You couldn't escape knowing the BCA's were live on Channel 4 last night, which was great, but this feverish hype was too much for the show to live up to. A similar thing appeared to happen with the blanket hype given to 10 O'Clock Live earlier this week, too. Hopefully Channel 4's marketing department will learn something from this.

It's also become a struggle for the BCA's to meet expectations, as many people tuning in are waiting for a memorable moment of anarchy (like Julian Clary's joke about a sex act that got him banned from TV for years, Michael Barrymore unplugging the autocue, Spike Milligan calling Prince Charles a "grovelling bastard", etc.) There was nothing to rival those gems this year, which for some people will be a big disappointment in itself. Still, there were some amusing moments; such as Goldie Hawn's misjudged praise of the comedians in the room, seconds after admitting she hasn't seen anything nominated for awards (which Ross branded a "churlish" statement to her face). I also loved the acceptance speeches of writers Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong, who managed to get a swipe in at the ludicrous lack of nominations for sitcom Whites ("... nothing for Whites? The show, not the racial group"), and Russell Brand's pre-recorded speech was surprisingly funny. It was a shame Brand couldn't be there in person, reunited with Ross on TV for the first time since their "Sachsgate" phone scandal.

I was unsure what to make of writer Roy Clarke accepting a Lifetime Achievement Award; it was thoroughly deserved (he wrote all 295 episodes of the world's longest-running sitcom, Last Of The Summer Wine), but there was an odd atmosphere because most of Clarke's sitcoms are a style of show that's long since fallen out of favour. And his handful of hits were arguably most memorable for the performances than the writing (e.g it's Ronnie Barker and Patricia Routledge people remember about Open All Hours and Keeping Up Appearances, not really the jokes or storylines.) That said, Clarke was definitely someone who could craft a great comic character on the page, which good actors breathed extra life into.

Below is a full list of the winners, with a reminder of who I predicted would win each category, and some brief thoughts on each result:

Best Comedy Panel Show

• Have I Got News For You
• Shooting Stars
• Would I Lie To You? WINNER PREDICTED

My thoughts: A deserved winner, especially when the best clip they could muster of Shooting Stars was Vic n' Bob bouncing around the studio like 12-year-old boys. You can argue that HIGNFY is still the more relevant show, which is true, but WILTY has become the funniest.

Best Comedy Entertainment Programme

• Harry Hill's TV Burp PREDICTED
• The Graham Norton Show
• Newswipe WINNER

My thoughts: I wanted Newswipe to win, I just didn't think it would and couldn't be sure of its quality in 2010 because most episodes slipped my by. But I'm very glad to see something meaningful and intelligent take the award from the easy choice of celebrating the family-friendly comedy of Harry Hill.

Best Comedy Entertainment Personality

• Ant & Dec
• Charlie Brooker
• Harry Hill WINNER PREDICTED

My thoughts: Maybe Harry's win here is to soften the blow of losing to Brooker for Best Entertainment Programme? Still, it was a worthy win; you don't have to even like TV Burp to realize Harry has a naturally funny personality.

Best Male Comic

• David Mitchell
• Harry Hill
• Michael McIntyre WINNER PREDICTED

My thoughts: This was a weird triptych of nominees, as Mitchell isn't what I'd call a comic, so McIntyre was destined to win. He's in the odd position of being so incredibly popular there's already a backlash in the industry towards him, which is actually very unfair. You sensed a bit of that when he accepted his award over a live-feed to Liverpool, where he's currently filming Britain's Got Talent, which probably irritated a few comedians who believe he's an overrated sell-out.

Best Female Comic

• Jo Brand WINNER
• Sarah Millican PREDICTED
• Shappi Khorsandi

My thoughts: Oh dear. I just don't see why anyone would think Jo Brand is funny. Did she include a joke about overeating during her awards speech? Yes, of course she did, that's all she's ever done since the '80s. I was very disappointed the BCA's didn't reward Sarah Millican, whose relatively newborn career would be aided by a win.

Best New British TV Comedy

• Grandma's House
• Miranda WINNER PREDICTED
• The Trip

My thoughts: I was poised for a big upset here, but the popular vote managed to win. Miranda is primed for a horrible backlash, though, once the novelty of having an old-fashioned sitcom back on TV wears off. You know I'm right.

Best Male Comedy Breakthrough Artist

• Jack Whitehall
• John Bishop WINNER PREDICTED
• Kayvan Novak

My thoughts: This was the natural choice, because Bishop's made more serious inroads to mainstream popularity in 2010 with the BBC, whereas Novak is still just a minor cult for E4, really.

Best Female Comedy Breakthrough Artist

• Isy Suttie
• Samantha Spiro WINNER
• Sarah Millican PREDICTED

My thoughts: I admitted that Spiro was a blindspot for me, so I didn't see her win coming, although I do now realize she appeared in Grandma's House. I'm not convinced she made more of a breakthrough than Millican, seeing as most people I know have never even heard of her.

Best Sketch Show

• Harry & Paul
• Horrible Histories WINNER
• The Armstrong & Miller Show PREDICTED

My thoughts: The big shock of the night, because Horrible Histories is a children's sketch show that most people haven't even seen (unless they're under-10 or have kids.) There was something rather marvellous about this show beating the adults at their own game, even if I haven't seen it so can't vouch for its quality. But people tell tell me it's very good.

Best Sitcom

• Miranda
• The Inbetweeners WINNER PREDICTED
• The Thick Of It

My thoughts: A well-deserved win for the teen-comedy, which has become something of a phenomenon in three short years. I bet there are some E4 executives desperate to find a way to keep The Inbetweeners on the TV, despite the fact the four stars are now in their mid-'20s. Hey, US teen shows are commonly full of people aged 27, so it might work...

Best Comedy Actor

• James Buckley (The Inbetweeners)
• Peter Capaldi (The Thick Of It) WINNER
• Rob Brydon (The Trip)
• Tom Hollander (Rev) PREDICTED

My thoughts: I was torn between Hollander and Capaldi, but somehow didn't expect Capaldi to win because Rev's a newer show that needs some support. But still, very deserved.

Best Comedy Actress

• Jo Brand
• Katherine Parkinson
• Miranda Hart WINNER PREDICTED

My thoughts: Of course! A great night for Hart.

Best British Comedy Performance In Film

• Aaron Johnson (Kick Ass)
• Kayvan Novak (Four Lions) WINNER PREDICTED
• Nigel Lindsay (Four Lions)

My thoughts: As expected. Well, it wasn't going to be Johnson, was it!

Writers' Guild Of Great Britain Award

Sam Bain & Jesse Armstrong

British Comedy Academy Lifetime Achievement Award

Roy Clarke OBE

Outstanding Contribution To Comedy Award

Russell Brand

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The British Comedy Awards 2011: Nominations

This year's nominations for the British Comedy Awards were announced yesterday, ahead of the live ceremony on Saturday 22 January, now broadcast on Channel 4 and again hosted by Jonathan Ross. A rundown of the nominees can be read at the excellent British Comedy Guide, but I thought I'd reproduce them below, together with my own thoughts and predictions:

Best Comedy Panel Show

• Have I Got News For You
• Shooting Stars
• Would I Lie To You?

My thoughts: I think HIGNFY is still the most deserving of this award, because it's a show that "matters" more, but Would I Lie To You is undoubtedly the funniest panel show around right now. For that reason, I'd like to see it win. Anything but Shooting Stars, which has become a pile of overrated bilge I'm embarrassed to know is still popular. Also curious to note the absence of QI, which surely deserved a nod!

Best Comedy Entertainment Programme

• Harry Hill's TV Burp
• The Graham Norton Show
• Newswipe

My thoughts: I find TV Burp extremely hit-and-miss, and generally think the gag's run its course. Graham Norton's transfer to Friday nights hasn't done the show any favours, because it often feels underwhelming in terms of star-power, when you compare it to its predecessor Friday Night With Jonathan Ross. I didn't see much of Newswipe last year, so can't vouch for its quality, but it would be nice to see something relatively fresh win. That said, I'm still predicting Burp.

Best Comedy Entertainment Personality

• Ant & Dec
• Charlie Brooker
• Harry Hill

My thoughts: As much as I enjoy Charlie Brooker's grumpy, over-descriptive shtick, the mere sight of him doesn't make you laugh. Isn't that what matters in a category like this? For me, it's a toss-up between Harry Hill and Ant & Dec, but I expect to see Harry walking away with this award under his arm.

Best Male Comic

• David Mitchell
• Harry Hill
• Michael McIntyre

My thoughts: David Mitchell? The recognition is fine and he's a funny guy, but I wouldn't class him as a comic. This is a weak category. I know he splits audiences 50/50, and he was too overexposed in 2010, but McIntyre will probably win.

Best Female Comic

• Jo Brand
• Sarah Millican
• Shappi Khorsandi

My thoughts: Well, Brand's as funny as hemorrhoids, so just keep her away from the podium. I don't begrudge anyone finding Shappi Khorsandi hilarious, but she leaves me cold, so I'll go for the natural charms of Sarah Millican.

Best New British TV Comedy

• Grandma's House
• Miranda
• The Trip

My thoughts: Oh, Miranda's going to win. The show has become a surprise hit for BBC2, and I'm sure they'll want to give Miranda Hart this accolade. It would be kind of fun to see The Trip win, but I can't see it happening. It was too niche and far from laugh-a-minute. Likewise Grandma's House, which split opinion.

Best Male Comedy Breakthrough Artist

• Jack Whitehall
• John Bishop
• Kayvan Novak

My thoughts: The biggest breakthrough came from John Bishop, who somehow wangled his own Saturday evening show off the back of Mock The Week appearances (or so it appeared), so I think he'll win. Jack Whitehall just irritates me, as most young comedians do the older I get. Kayvan Novak might be a dark horse, though -- as Facejacker and a memorable role in Four Lions could appeal to the BCA.

Best Female Comedy Breakthrough Artist

• Isy Suttie
• Samantha Spiro
• Sarah Millican

My thoughts: Samantha Spiro's a blind spot for me, so I can't judge this category with much authority. Isy Suttie's been doing much the same thing for years now, although she did have a funny role in the excellent sitcom Whites that brought her to a wider audience, so maybe she'll take the award. But something tells me Sarah Millican's got this one. She's fresher.

Best Sketch Show

• Harry & Paul
• Horrible Histories
• The Armstrong & Miller Show

My thoughts: I don't watch much of those three, but on the occasions I dip in I find myself more amused by Armstrong & Miller, who bring some wit and intelligence to their sketches. Notably absent: That Mitchell & Webb Look, not that it had a good year.

Best Sitcom

• Miranda
• The Inbetweeners
• The Thick Of It

My thoughts: I'm someone who hasn't really fallen for The Thick Of It, so I can't comment there. For me, The Inbetweeners is the best sitcom on that shortlist, and might win because series 3 was (supposedly) its last. Then again, there's a lot of love for Miranda's cheery old-school style. A hard one to call. Interesting to note the absence of The IT Crowd, which I thought had a tired series last year, and the BCA seem to  agree.

Best Comedy Actor

• James Buckley (The Inbetweeners)
• Peter Capaldi (The Thick Of It)
• Rob Brydon (The Trip)
• Tom Hollander (Rev)

My thoughts: In terms of pure acting, it's surely between Capaldi and Hollander. It would be nice to see Hollander get it, because his performance in Rev was very engaging and nuanced.

Best Comedy Actress

• Jo Brand
• Katherine Parkinson
• Miranda Hart

My thoughts: Oh, Miranda Hart's definitely got this one in the bag She's been around for so many years as a supporting character actor, so this is her year to get recognition for the past decade's toil. Just don't let Brand near the podium, remember.

Best British Comedy Performance In Film

• Aaron Johnson (Kick Ass)
• Kayvan Novak (Four Lions)
• Nigel Lindsay (Four Lions)

My thoughts: Let's rule Johnson out of this, because his role in Kick Ass wasn't very funny. That's a very odd nomination. So, it boils down to whether you prefer Novak's cartoonish idiot in Four Lions, or Lindsay's turn as a dumb fanatic in the same film. I get the feeling Novak's going to win, as he has other comedy strings to his bow, but either would be fine.

So there you have it. The people to beat this year are Harry Hill and Miranda Hart, who both have four nominations each, so expect them to be leaving the ceremony with heavy lumps of moulded plastic in a carrier bag. Do you agree with my predictions? Care to add your own?

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Emmy Awards 2010: The Winners

The Good Wife's Archie Panjabi winning "Best Supporting Actress"

The 62nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards were held last night in Los Angeles at the Nokia Theatre (airing live coast to coast for the first time ever), and below are the winners that I was particularly pleased about.

Best Drama

Mad Men

Best Supporting Actress

Archie Panjabi, The Good Wife

Outstanding Actor

Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad

Best Supporting Actor In A Drama

Aaron Paul, Breaking Bad

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy

Jane Lynch, Glee

Outstanding Guest Actor In A Comedy

Neil Patrick Harris, Glee

Outstanding Guest Actor In A Drama

John Lithgow, Dexter

Outstanding Direction In A Comedy

Ryan Murphy, Glee ("Pilot – Director's Cut")

Outstanding Direction In A Drama

Steve Shill, Dexter ("The Getaway")

Outstanding Writing In A Drama

Matthew Weiner & Erin Levy, Mad Men ("Shut The Door. Have A Seat")

Best Miniseries

The Pacific

I'm especially glad that Bryan Cranston won Best Actor and Aaron Paul got his first ever Emmy for his role on Breaking Bad, too. That show is seen as being a little obscure for Emmy voters, but they definitely proved everyone wrong this year. The complete list of winner can be read here.

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