Sir Lenny Henry is to receive an Outstanding Achievement Award at this year’s Edinburgh TV Festival in celebration of his career and diversity and inclusion advocacy.
The award recognises the comedian, writer, actor and broadcaster’s long track record in championing under-represented voices and driving change and co-founding the Sir Lenny Henry Centre for Media Diversity at Brimingham City University.
It also acknowledges his role in co-founding Comic Relief, which has raised more than £1bn for global causes in the past 40 years.
Henry also runs production company Esmerelda and his recent TV credits include ITV drama Three Little Birds and Amazon’s The Rings of Power.
The accolade follows the announcement that US TV exec Shonda Rhimes is to receive the inaugural Edinburgh Fellowship.
The chief executive of Shondaland, whose 30-year career has spanned hits from Gray’s Anatomy and How to Get Away with Murder to Bridgerton and The Resident, also presides over arts, education and activism organisation The Rhimes Foundation.
TV Awards
Battling it out for small indie of the year at this year’s TV Awards are Afro-Mic Productions, Alleycats TV, Black Camel Pictures, Listen, Rockerdale Studios and Synchronicity Films.
The production company of the year shortlist meanwhile comprises Big Talk Studios, Clapperboard Studios, See-Saw Films, Warp Films, Sister and CPL Productions – named multichannel indie of the year this week at the Broadcast Digital Awards.
Best documentary nominees are 7/7: The London Bombings (The Slate Works for BBC2), Bombing Brighton: The Plot to Kill Thatcher (Keo Films/Walk on Air Films for BBC2), Children of the Cult (DM Productions for ITV1), D-Day: The Unheard Tapes (Wall to Wall for BBC1), Jamil Maddix: Follow the Leader (MindhouseWorld Piece Production for U&Dave) and Our Land: Israel’s Other War (Hardcash for ITV1).
Shows vying for best popular factual series include Channel 4’s Go Back to Where You Came From (Minnow Films) and Swiped: The School That Banned Smart Phones (Boldprint Studios), ITV’s DNA Journey (Voltage TV/Mitre Studios/Ancestry) and Getting Filthy Rich (Optomen) and BBC titles Sort Your Life Out with Stacey Solomon (Optomen) and Rob and Rylan’s Grand Tour (Rex).
The TV Awards take place on 21 August. Nominees in full:
Category | Entry | Broadcaster | Credit |
Agency of the Year | Insanity |
| Insanity |
Mirador Talent Group |
| Mirador Talent Group | |
Strange Town Agency |
| Strange Town Agency | |
Best Branded Entertainment | Batch From Scratch: Cooking for Less | Channel 4 | Batch From Scratch: Cooking for Less, South Shore for Channel 4 |
Champions Full Gallop | ITV | Champions Full Gallop, South Shore for ITVX | |
Cooking With the Stars | ITV1 | Cooking With the Stars Series 4, South Shore for ITV1 | |
DNA Journey | ITV1 | DNA Journey, Voltage TV, Mitre Studios, Ancestry for ITV1 | |
M & S Dress the Nation | ITV | M & S Dress the Nation, South Shore for ITV1 | |
Best Comedy Series | Alma's Not Normal | BBC Two | Alma's Not Normal, Expectation for BBC Two |
Big Boys | Channel 4 | Big Boys, Roughcut TV for Channel 4 | |
Dinosaur | BBC | Dinosaur, Two Brothers Pictures for BBC | |
Ludwig | BBC One | Ludwig for BBC One | Big Talk Studios in association with That Mitchell & Webb Company | |
Mr Bigstuff | Sky Comedy | Mr Bigstuff, Sky Studios, Water & Power Productions | |
We Are Lady Parts | Channel 4 | We Are Lady Parts, produced by Working Title Television, which is part of Universal International Studios, a division of Universal Studio Group | |
Best Documentary, sponsored by The Farm | 7/7: The London Bombings | BBC Two | 7/7: The London Bombings, The Slate Works for BBC Two |
Bombing Brighton: The Plot to Kill Thatcher | BBC Two | Bombing Brighton: The Plot to Kill Thatcher, KEO Films in collaboration with Walk On Air Films for BBC Two | |
Children of the Cult (Exposure) | ITV1 | Children of the Cult (Exposure), DM Productions for ITV1 | |
D-Day: The Unheard Tapes | BBC Two | D-Day: The Unheard Tapes, Wall to Wall for BBC, History Channel, Open University. | |
Jamali Maddix: Follow the Leader | U&Dave | Jamali Maddix: Follow the Leader, Mindhouse Productions and World Piece Productions for U&Dave | |
Our Land: Israel's Other War | ITV1 | Our Land: Israel's Other War (Exposure) Hardcash Productions for ITV1 | |
Best Drama | Adolescence | Netflix | Adolescence, Warp Films, Matriarch Productions and Plan B Entertainment for Netflix |
Baby Reindeer | Netflix | Baby Reindeer, Clerkenwell Films for Netflix | |
Blue Lights | BBC | Blue Lights for Two Cities Television, Gallagher Films | |
Lockerbie: A Search for Truth | Sky Atlantic | Lockerbie: A Search for Truth for Carnival Films, which is part of Universal International Studios, a division of Universal Studio Group and Sky Studios for Sky Atlantic | |
Rivals | Disney+ | Rivals - Happy Prince, part of ITV Studios for Disney+ | |
Slow Horses | Apple TV+ | Slow Horses for See-Saw Films in association with Apple | |
Best Entertainment Series | I Kissed a Girl | BBC Three | I Kissed a Girl, TwoFour on behalf of BBC Three |
Last One Laughing | Prime Video | Last One Laughing, Zeppotron & Initial for Prime Video | |
Taskmaster | Channel 4 | Taskmaster, Avalon for Channel 4 | |
The Graham Norton Show | BBC One | The Graham Norton Show, So Television for BBC1 | |
The Piano | Channel 4 | The Piano for Love Productions for Channel 4 | |
The Traitors | BBC One | The Traitors, Studio Lambert Scotland for BBC One | |
Best International Drama | After the Party | Channel 4 | After the Party for Lingo Pictures / Luminous Beast |
Dope Thief | Apple TV+ | Dope Thief for Apple Studios / A Scott Free Production | |
Mussolini: Son of the Century | Sky Atlantic | Mussolini: Son of the Century. Produced by Sky Studios and Lorenzo Mieli for The Apartment, a company of the Fremantle Group, co-produced with Pathé, in association with Small Forward Productions, CINECITTÀ and Sky | |
Ripley | Netflix | Ripley, Showtime and Endemol Shine North America in association with Entertainment 360 and Filmrights for Netflix | |
Severance | Apple TV+ | Severance, Fifth Season in association with Apple | |
The Studio | Apple TV+ | The Studio, Lionsgate Television in association with Apple | |
Best Popular Factual Series | DNA Journey | ITV1 | DNA Journey, Voltage TV, Mitre Studios, Ancestry for ITV1 |
Getting Filthy Rich | ITVX | Getting Filthy Rich, Optomen Television for ITV | |
Go Back To Where You Came From | Channel 4 | Go Back to Where You Came From, Minnow Films for Channel 4 | |
Rob and Rylan's Grand Tour | BBC Two | Rob and Rylan’s Grand Tour, Rex, a Zinc Media Company, for BBC Two | |
Sort Your Life Out | BBC One | Sort Your Life Out, Optomen Television for BBC One | |
Swiped: The School that Banned Smartphones | Channel 4 | Swiped: The School that Banned Smartphones, BOLDPRINT Studios for Channel 4 | |
Best TV Actor - Comedy | Anjana Vasan in We Are Lady Parts | Channel 4 | Anjana Vasan in We Are Lady Parts |
Lucy Punch in Amandaland | BBC One | Lucy Punch in Amandaland | |
Nabhaan Rizwan in Kaos | Netflix | Nabhaan Rizwan in Kaos | |
Oliver Savell in Changing Ends | ITV1 | Oliver Savell in Changing Ends | |
Philippa Dunne in Amandaland | BBC One | Philippa Dunne in Amandaland | |
Sophie Willan in Alma's Not Normal | BBC Two | Sophie Willan in Alma's Not Normal | |
Best TV Actor - Drama | Danny Dyer in Rivals | Disney+ | Danny Dyer in Rivals |
Jessica Gunning in Baby Reindeer | Netflix | Jessica Gunning in Baby Reindeer | |
Katherine Parkinson in Rivals | Disney+ | Katherine Parkinson in Rivals | |
Owen Cooper in Adolescence | Netflix | Owen Cooper in Adolescence | |
Richard Gadd in Baby Reindeer | Netflix | Richard Gadd in Baby Reindeer | |
Stephen Graham in Adolescence | Netflix | Stephen Graham in Adolescence | |
Best TV Presenter - Entertainment | Anthony McPartlin & Declan Donnelly - Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway | ITV1 | Anthony McPartlin & Declan Donnelly - Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway |
Claudia Winkleman - The Traitors | BBC One | Claudia Winkleman - The Traitors | |
Graham Norton - The Graham Norton Show | BBC One | Graham Norton - The Graham Norton Show | |
Rob Beckett & Romesh Ranganathan - Rob & Rom Vs... | Sky Max | Rob Beckett & Romesh Ranganathan - Rob & Rom Vs... | |
Best TV Presenter - Factual | Joe Tracini - Me and the Voice in My Head | Channel 4 | Joe Tracini - Me and the Voice in My Head |
Mobeen Azhar - The Soldiers That Saved Britain | Channel 4 | Mobeen Azhar - The Soldiers That Saved Britain | |
Munya Chawawa - How to Survive a Dictator: North Korea | Channel 4 | Munya Chawawa - How to Survive a Dictator: North Korea | |
Poppy Jay - Young, British and Anti-Abortion | BBC Three | Poppy Jay - Young, British and Anti-Abortion | |
Breakthrough Performance | Ashley Storrie | BBC | Ashley Storrie |
Bella Maclean | Disney+ | Bella Maclean | |
Maximilian Fairley | ITV1 | Maximilian Fairley | |
Owen Cooper | Netflix | Owen Cooper | |
Sekou Diaby | BBC Three | Sekou Diaby | |
Thaddea Graham | Apple TV+ | Thaddea Graham | |
Channel of the Year | 5 | 5 | 5 |
BBC One | BBC One | BBC One | |
BBC Scotland | BBC Scotland | BBC Scotland | |
BBC Two | BBC Two | BBC Two | |
Channel 4 | Channel 4 | Channel 4 | |
ITV1 | ITV1 | ITV1 | |
Production Company of the Year | Big Talk Studios |
| Big Talk Studios |
Clapperboard Studios |
| Clapperboard Studios | |
CPL Productions |
| CPL Productions | |
See-Saw Films |
| See-Saw Films | |
SISTER |
| SISTER | |
Warp Films |
| Warp Films | |
Production Group of the Year | Banijay UK |
| Banijay UK |
BBC Studios Productions |
| BBC Studios Productions | |
Fremantle UK |
| Fremantle UK | |
ITV Studios |
| ITV Studios | |
STV Studios |
| STV Studios | |
Universal International Studios, a division of Universal Studio Group |
| Universal International Studios, a division of Universal Studio Group | |
Small Indie of the Year | Afro-Mic Productions |
| Afro-Mic Productions |
Alleycats TV |
| Alleycats TV | |
Black Camel Pictures |
| Black Camel Pictures | |
Listen |
| Listen | |
Rockerdale Studios |
| Rockerdale Studios | |
Synchronicity Films |
| Synchronicity Films | |
Streamer of the Year | BBC iPlayer | BBC iPlayer | BBC iPlayer |
Channel 4 | Channel 4 | Channel 4 | |
ITVX | ITVX | ITVX | |
Netflix | Netflix | Netflix | |
U | U | U | |
Climate Storytelling Award | Big Brother | ITV2 | Big Brother, Initial for ITV2 |
Emmerdale | ITV1 | Emmerdale, ITV Studios for ITV1 | |
Gabon: Earth's Last Chance | Sky Documentaries | Gabon: Earth's Last Chance, Keo Films for Sky Documentaries | |
Our Living World | Netflix | Our Living World, Netflix and Wild Space Productions | |
Ready Meals, What They Really Mean for You | BBC One | Ready Meals, What They Really Mean For You, Attaboy TV for BBC One | |
Spirit Rangers | Netflix | Spirit Rangers, Netflix Animation Studios, Superprod - Paris | |
