Royal Television Awards 2020 will be held behind closed doors amid coronavirus fears

This year’s Royal Television Awards will be held behind closed doors for the first time ever amid coronavirus concerns as the sixth death in the UK was confirmed. 

Nominees and Royal Television Society representatives will still be able to attend the event in London, but all other guests will be invited to watch it via a live stream.  

Theresa Wise, chief executive of the Royal Television Society, said the plan was designed to create a ‘streamlined event’.  

The Royal Television Awards will be held behind closed doors for the first time this year amid coronavirus concerns

The nominations are in: Fleabag [pictured] and Chernobyl lead the nominations for the Royal Television Society Programme Awards 2020, each with three nods

She announced: ‘While adapting as necessary to the current situation, we aim to continue celebrating the past year of television and excellence in our industry in the best way possible – by honouring nominees and winners through a streamlined event.

‘We look forward to offering everyone the opportunity to join us via live stream as we host the RTS Programme Awards.’

The event, due to be held on March 17th, will be live-streamed and guests will watch online. 

The organisation said: ‘The Royal Television Society made the decision to streamline the format of this year’s RTS Programme Awards, in partnership with Audio Network, scheduled to take place on Tuesday 17th March.

‘In order to host the event responsibly, as well as continuing to celebrate the nominees’ achievements, a slimmed down, intimate presentation of the awards be live-streamed.

Drama: Sky Atlantic drama Chernobyl – which won several 2019 Emmys, including Outstanding Limited Series – has been given a hat-trick of nominations for the upcoming RTS ceremony

‘Nominees and RTS representatives will now be invited to the event with the broader industry able to watch via a live link.’

The announcement comes as the number of UK coronavirus cases jumped to 373 and a sixth death was confirmed on Tuesday.

Fleabag and Chernobyl lead the nominations for the Royal Television Society Programme Awards 2020, each with three nods.

Creator and star: Fleabag’s Phoebe Waller-Bridge has been nominated for both the Comedy Performance (Female) and Writer (Comedy) prizes, having swept the board lately when it comes to securing gongs

BBC’s comedy Fleabag – which has swept the board lately when it comes to securing gongs – and Sky Atlantic drama Chernobyl – which won several 2019 Emmys, including Outstanding Limited Series – have both been given a hat-trick of nominations for the upcoming RTS ceremony.

Fleabag creator and star Phoebe Waller-Bridge has been nominated for both the Comedy Performance (Female) and Writer (Comedy) prizes. 

The show as a whole is in the running for Scripted Comedy.

Double trouble: Netflix’s Sex Education [which stars Gillian Anderson, pictured] is up for awards in both the writing and Comedy Performance category

Chernobyl lead Jared Harris is on the shortlist in the male Actor category, with writer Craig Mazin up for Drama award, and the programme itself is nominated for best Mini-Series.

For the Comedy Writer prize, Phoebe finds herself competing with Danny Brocklehurst (Brassic) and Sex Education scribe Laurie Nunn, while the latter show also has a nod in the Comedy Performance (Male) category thanks to Ncuti Gatwa.  

Derry Girls star Saoirse-Monica Jackson is also on the list for female Comedy Performance prize alongside Motherland actress Diane Morgan.

Two noms: Gentleman Jack is listed for best Drama, while leading star Suranne Jones is up for the Actor (Female) prize

Both of these shows have further nods respectively in the Comedy and Breakthrough (Tanya Moodie) lists. 

Also on two nominations, Gentleman Jack is listed for best Drama, while leading star Suranne Jones is up for the Actor (Female) prize.

Finally, The Virtues has two nominations, earning recognition in the acting categories for Niamh Algar and Stephen Graham.

The shortlist was unveiled last month and the ceremony will be hosted by writer and comedian Paul Merton on March 17 at London’s Grosvenor Hotel.  

Derry Girls star Saoirse-Monica Jackson is also on the list for female Comedy Performance prize alongside Motherland actress Diane Morgan.

Both of these shows have further nods respectively in the Comedy and Breakthrough (Tanya Moodie) lists.

Presenter of the year? Vicky McClure is nominated for Our Dementia Choir with Vicky McClure

Also on two nominations, Gentleman Jack is listed for best Drama, while leading star Suranne Jones is up for the Actor (Female) prize.

Finally, The Virtues has two nominations, earning recognition in the acting categories for Niamh Algar and Stephen Graham.

The shortlist was unveiled on Tuesday morning and the ceremony will be hosted by writer and comedian Paul Merton on March 17 at London’s Grosvenor Hotel. 

Scientists tracking the UK’s coronavirus outbreak, which has risen eight-fold in the space of a week, have warned the situation is quickly following the same trajectory as Italy’s and could peak within a fortnight.

It comes as thousands of furious Brits have today been left stranded after BA and Jet2 cancelled all flights to and from Italy until April because of the crisis – Ryanair will all scrap its flights.

GP appointments in the UK will now be held over the phone or video link, Health Secretary Matt Hancock has announced.   

Royal Television Society Programme Awards: The Nominees

Actor (Female)

Niamh Algar – The Virtues

Suranne Jones – Gentleman Jack

Tamara Lawrance – The Long Song 

Actor (Male)

Jared Harris – Chernobyl

Michael Ward – Top Boy

Stephen Graham – The Virtues

Arts

Bros: After The Screaming Stops 

imagine…James Graham: In the Room Where It Happens

Superkids: Breaking Away From Care 

Breakthrough Award

Aisling Bea – This Way Up

Tanya Moodie – Motherland

Tim Renkow – Jerk

Children’s Programme

The Athena

Step Up to the Plate

Zog

Comedy Performance (Female)

Diane Morgan – Motherland

Phoebe Waller-Bridge – Fleabag

Saoirse-Monica Jackson – Derry Girls 

Comedy Performance (Male)

Alex Murphy & Chris Walley – The Young Offenders

Ncuti Gatwa – Sex Education

Youssef Kerkour – Home

Daytime Programme

Beat the Chef

Good Morning Britain

The Repair Shop

Documentary Series

The Choir: Our School By The Tower 

Crime and Punishment

Hometown: A Killing

Drama Series

Ackley Bridge

The Capture

Gentleman Jack

Entertainment

Britain’s Got Talent

Love Island

RuPaul’s Drag Race UK

Entertainment Performance

London Hughes – Don’t Hate The Playaz

Mo Gilligan – The Lateish Show with Mo Gilligan

Stephen Mulhern – In For A Penny

Formatted Popular Factual

The British Tribe Next Door

Celebrity Gogglebox

The Circle

History

Jade: The Reality Star Who Changed Britain

The Last Survivors

Spotlight on The Troubles: A Secret History 

Mini-Series

Chernobyl

The Long Song

Years and Years

Presenter

Fred Brathwaite – A Fresh Guide to Florence with Fab 5

Freddy Mobeen Azhar – Hometown: A Killing

Vicky McClure – Our Dementia Choir with Vicky McClure

RTS Channel of the Year

BBC Three

Channel 5

Sky Atlantic 

Science and Natural History

8 Days: To the Moon and Back

The Parkinson’s Drug Trial: A Miracle Cure?

The Planets

Scripted Comedy

Derry Girls

Fleabag

Stath Lets Flats

Single Documentary

David Harewood: Psychosis and Me

Undercover: Inside China’s Digital Gulag

War in the Blood

Single Drama

Brexit: The Uncivil War

Doing Money

The Left Behind

Soap and Continuing Drama

Casualty

Coronation Street

EastEnders

Sports Presenter, Commentator or Pundit

Alex Scott – 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup

Gareth Thomas – 2019 Rugby World Cup

Nasser Hussain – The Ashes

Sports Programme 2019

Rugby World Cup

ICC Cricket World Cup Final

FIFA Women’s World Cup 2019 – Semi Final: England v USA

Writer (Comedy)

Danny Brocklehurst – Brassic

Laurie Nunn – Sex Education

Phoebe Waller-Bridge – Fleabag

Writer (Drama)

Craig Mazin – Chernobyl

Neil Forsyth – Guilt

Roy Williams – Soon Gone: A Windrush Chronicle

Live Event

The BRIT Awards 2019

The Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance

Stormzy at Glastonbury 2019 

 

 

 

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