Royal Television Society Programme Awards
The Royal Television Society Programme Awards, seek to recognise programmes or individuals who have made a positive and material contribution to their genre: either because their content or originality in form has in some way moved the genre forward, or perhaps even created a new genre; or because their quality has set standards which other programme-makers can emulate and learn from.
In addition to the national awards and the Craft & Design Awards, the Royal Television Society also hosts a number of regional award ceremonies throughout the UK and Ireland.
Award categories
The original Royal Television Society Programme Awards can be traced back to 1975, when there were just seven categories. In 1989, the categories were revised and awards in these new categories conferred for the award year of 1988. It was also in this year that nominations for some categories were introduced for the very first time. Since 2016, the awards have been primarily focussed on home-grown output, with Fargo, the final winner of the International category in 2015. In 2023, the number of award categories stood at 30.Controversies
In February 2017 broadcaster Piers Morgan pulled out as host after only three days, citing a public campaign branding him as damaging and inappropriate for the event.Judging
The RTS Programme Awards winners are selected not by public vote but decided via judging panels composed of industry experts and professionals. In 2016 the make up of the judging panels was adjusted to include more women and people from minority backgrounds. From approximately 200 jurors, 52% were now female and 27% from BAME backgrounds. The move towards more diversity came in the wake of the #OscarsSoWhite campaign. At the time of the 2020 awards, the overall jury composition was 56% female and 32% came from BAME backgrounds.Winners: 1998–present
2025 winners| Award | Winners | Nominees |
| Outstanding Achievement Award | Claudia Winkleman | – |
| Judges' Award | Ruth Jones and James Corden | – |
| Arts | My Sexual Abuse: The Sitcom | In My Own Words: Alison Lapper Camden |
| Breakthrough Award | Josh Tedeku – Boarders |
|
| Children's Programme | Quentin Blake's Box of Treasures | Dodo BMX All Stars |
| Comedy Drama | Alma's Not Normal | Boarders Ludwig |
| Comedy Entertainment | Junior Taskmaster | Have I Got News for You Sorry, I Didn't Know |
| Comedy Performance: Female | Sophie Willan – Alma's Not Normal | |
| Comedy Performance: Male | Oliver Savell – Changing Ends | |
| Daytime Programme | Loose Women | Clive Myrie's Caribbean Adventure BBC Breakfast |
| Documentary Series | The Push: Murder on the Cliff | To Catch a Copper On Thin Ice: Putin v Greenpeace |
| Drama Series | Industry | Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light Supacell |
| Entertainment | The Traitors | Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway RuPaul's Drag Race UK |
| Entertainment Performance | Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly – Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway | |
| Formatted Popular Factual | Freddie Flintoff's Field of Dreams on Tour | The Jury: Murder Trial Martin Lewis Money Show Live |
| History | Atomic People | Miners' Strike 1984: The Battle for Britain Helmand: Tour of Duty |
| Leading Actor: Female | Anna Maxwell Martin – Until I Kill You | |
| Leading Actor: Male | Lennie James – Mr Loverman | |
| Limited Series and Single Drama | This Town | Mr Bates vs The Post Office Breathtaking |
| Live Event | D Day 80: Tribute to the Fallen | Coldplay at Glastonbury 2024 The Martin Lewis Money Show Live – Budget Special |
| Presenter | Liz Carr – Better Off Dead? | |
| Science & The Natural World | Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story | Silverback Living with Leopards |
| Scripted Comedy | Things You Should Have Done | We Are Lady Parts Gavin & Stacey: The Finale |
| Single Documentary | Hell Jumper | Undercover: Exposing the Far Right Tell Them You Love Me |
| Soap and Continuing Drama | Casualty | EastEnders Hollyoaks |
| Sports Presenter, Commentator or Pundit | Rose Ayling-Ellis and Clare Balding – Paris 2024 Paralympics | |
| Sports Program | Paris 2024 Paralympics | Paris 2024 Olympics London Marathon 2024 |
| Supporting Actor – Female | Jessica Gunning – Baby Reindeer | |
| Supporting Actor – Male | Danny Dyer – Rivals | |
| Writer – Comedy | Sophie Willan – Alma's Not Normal | |
| Writer – Drama | Dominic Treadwell-Collins and Laura Wade – Rivals + |
This year saw the introduction of two new performance categories: supporting actor male and supporting actor female.
| Award | Winners | Nominees |
| Outstanding Achievement Award | Sarah Lancashire | – |
| Judges' Award | Charlotte Moore | – |
| Arts | The Evolution of Black British Music | The Ghost of Richard Harris This Is Joan Collins |
| Breakthrough Award | Lenny Rush – Am I Being Unreasonable? |
|
| Children's Program | Dodger | COP27: Six Ways to Save Our Planet Corpse Talk |
| Comedy Drama | Brassic | Am I Being Unreasonable? Cheaters |
| Comedy Entertainment | Friday Night Live | Joe Lycett vs David Beckham, A Got Your Back Special Sorry, I Didn't Know |
| Comedy Performance: Female | Daisy May Cooper as Nic in Am I Being Unreasonable? | |
| Comedy Performance: Male | Lenny Rush as Ollie in Am I Being Unreasonable? | |
| Daytime Program | Loose Men | Come Dine With Me: The Professionals Scam Interceptors |
| Documentary Series | Gazza | Big Oil vs The World Jeremy Kyle Show: Death On Daytime |
| Drama Series | Sherwood | The Responder Top Boy |
| Entertainment | The Traitors | Joe Lycett’s Big Pride Party Mo Gilligan |
| Entertainment Performance | Claudia Winkleman – The Traitors | |
| Formatted Popular Factual | Gogglebox | Idris Elba's Fight School The Repair Shop: A Royal Visit |
| History | Our Falklands War: A frontline story | Aids: The Unheard Tapes Italia 90: Four Weeks that Changed the World |
| Leading Actor: Female | Kate Winslet as Ruth in I Am Ruth | |
| Leading Actor: Male | Kit Connor as Nick Nelson in Heartstopper | |
| Limited-Series | Mood | Anne Chloe |
| Live Event | The State Funeral of HM The Queen Elizabeth II | Glastonbury 2022 Platinum Party at the Palace |
| Presenter | Ramita Navai – Afghanistan: No Country for Women | |
| Science & The Natural World | The Green Planet | My Dead Body My Garden of a Thousand Bees |
| Scripted Comedy | Derry Girls | Big Boys Cunk On Earth |
| Single Documentary | The Tinder Swindler | Dying to Divorce Will Young: Losing My Twin Rupert |
| Single Drama | Life and Death in the Warehouse | The House Then Barbara Met Alan |
| Soap and Continuing Drama | Casualty | EastEnders Hollyoaks |
| Sports Presenter, Commentator or Pundit | Ade Adepitan – 2022 Winter Paralympics | |
| Sports Program | Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games | Winter Paralympics: "Today in Beijing" Women's EURO 2022 |
| Supporting Actor – Female | Ambika Mod as Shruti Acharya in This Is Going to Hurt | |
| Supporting Actor – Male | Adeel Akhtar as Andy Fisher in Sherwood | |
| Writer – Comedy | Lisa McGee for Derry Girls | |
| Writer – Drama | Lucy Prebble for I Hate Suzie Too |
This year saw the return to a live audience event after the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions. Comedian Graham Norton was presented the outstanding achievement award for 2020 which he had been unable to collect at that time due to having COVID-19.
For the second year running, due to COVID-19 related restrictions the 2021 winners ceremony was held behind closed doors and without a live audience. In 2021 a new award category for comedy entertainment programme was established. A special award was bestowed on John McVay, Sara Geater, Max Rumney, Hakan Kousetta and their team at PACT in this year to recognise the difficulties and challenges for the independent production sector during the pandemic year.
| Award | Winners | Nominees |
| Outstanding Achievement Award | Russell T Davies | – |
| Judges' Award | Anne Mensah | – |
| Special Award | PACT | – |
| Actor: Female | Michaela Coel as Arabella Essiedu in I May Destroy You |
|
| Actor: Male | Shaun Parkes as Frank Crichlow in Small Axe | |
| Arts | Grayson's Art Club | African Renaissance: When Art Meets Power Keith Haring: Street Art Boy |
| Breakthrough Award | Mae Martin – Feel Good | |
| Children's Programme | IRL with Team Charlene | FYI Investigates: "Brazil: Children Caught in the Crossfire" JoJo & Gran Gran: "It's Time to Go to the Hairdresser's" |
| Comedy Entertainment | The Ranganation | Charlie Brooker's Antiviral Wipe The Big Narstie Show |
| Comedy Performance: Female | Gbemisola Ikumelo as various characters in Famalam | |
| Comedy Performance: Male | Youssef Kerkour as Sami Ibrahim in Home | |
| Daytime Programme | Loose Women | Junior Bake Off The Bidding Room |
| Documentary Series | Once Upon a Time in Iraq | Hospital: Fighting Covid-19 The School That Tried to End Racism |
| Drama Series | In My Skin | I Hate Suzie Save Me Too |
| Entertainment | The Masked Singer | Beat the Chasers Big Zuu's Big Eats |
| Entertainment Performance | Big Narstie & Mo Gilligan – The Big Narstie Show | |
| Formatted Popular Factual | Joe Lycett's Got Your Back | [Long Lost (2004 TV series)|Lost Family (British TV series)|Long Lost Family: Born Without Trace] The Rap Game UK |
| History | Damilola: The Boy Next Door | Lost Home Movies of Nazi Germany The World's Biggest Murder Trial: Nuremberg |
| Live Event | The Third Day: "Autumn" | ENO's Drive & Live: La Bohème Election 2019 Live: The Results |
| Mini Series | I May Destroy You | Adult Material Small Axe |
| Presenter | Joe Lycett – The Great British Sewing Bee | |
| RTS Channel of the Year | BBC One | |
| Science & Natural History | The Surgeon's Cut | Surviving the Virus: My Brother & Me Brain Surgeons: Between Life and Death |
| Scripted Comedy | The Young Offenders | Brassic Sex Education |
| Single Documentary | Anton Ferdinand: Football, Racism & Me | Surviving Covid The Family Secret |
| Single Drama | Elizabeth Is Missing | Anthony Sitting in Limbo |
| Soap and Continuing Drama | Casualty | Coronation Street Holby City |
| Sports Presenter, Commentator or Pundit | Michael Holding – England v West Indies | |
| Sports Programme | England v West Indies First Test: "Black Lives Matter" | London Marathon 2020 The Open For The Ages |
| Writer: Comedy | Mae Martin and Joe Hampson for Feel Good | |
| Writing: Drama | Michaela Coel for I May Destroy You |
Due to COVID-19 related restrictions the 2020 winners ceremony was held behind closed doors and without a live audience. The outstanding achievement award was not awarded as comedian Graham Norton had COVID-19,.
In 2019 the comedy performance award was split into two for the first time.
In 2018 Netflix's historical drama The Crown was bestowed a special recognition award.
This year saw the drama serial award retired to make way for two new awards: the mini-series award and the RTS channel of the year award.
In 2016 a single breakthrough award was revived to replace the two awards that were last bestowed in 2008. The children's fiction award was retired as was the international award.
In 2014 the nations & regions programme award was dropped to make room for two sports-related awards; sports programme and sports presenter, commentator or pundit.
In 2013 the award for live event was revived having been lasted bestowed in 2004. This year was also notable for the RTS television awards in that two judges' awards were bestowed for the very first time.
2011 saw a reversal of the 2009 decision with two documentary categories reinstated and the constructed factual series award removed along with the multi-channel programme award.
In 2009 the two separate awards for documentaries were merged to make room for an award for constructed factual series, created to recognise the growth and popularity of the reality TV series genre.
In 2008 the RTS Gold Medal was superseded by the lifetime achievement award. The two breakthrough awards were retired in this year as was the award for nations & regions presenter.
In 2006 the two newcomer awards were each renamed as the breakthrough awards. No RTS Gold Medal recipient is recorded for this year.
In 2005 the event award was once again dropped to make way for a new digital channel programme award and the writing award was split into two awards; writer: comedy, and writer: drama. No RTS Gold Medal recipient is recorded for this year.
In 2004 the acquired award introduced the previous year was redesignated as the international award and the serials & single drama award was once again split back into two separate awards, namely the drama serial award and the single drama award. No RTS Gold Medal recipient is recorded for this year.
2003 saw two completely new categories introduced in the shape of the acquired programme award and the comedy performance award. An event award was also reintroduced, similar to the live event award that had been last bestowed in 1998. The team award was retired in this year.
In 2002 three new awards were introduced; the soap and continuing drama award; the science & natural history award; and the history award. Other changes saw the children's drama and the children's entertainment categories merged to become the children's fictional award; and the drama serial award merged with the single drama award. Awards for documentary strand and regional documentary were retired.
| Award | Winners | Nominees |
| RTS Gold Medal | BBC Natural History Unit | – |
| Judges' Award | Nick Elliott | – |
| Actor: Female | Diane Parish as Lesley Bailey in Babyfather |
|
| Actor: Male | David Suchet as Augustus Melmotte in The Way We Live Now | |
| Arts | Arena: "James Ellory's Feast of Death" | Omnibus: "The Billy Elliot Boy" The South Bank Show: "Joanna MacGregor" |
| Children's Factual | Nick News: "WisedUp" | Finger Tips Newsround: "Sierra Leone: The Battle for Childhood" |
| Children's Fictional | My Parents Are Aliens | Eddy & The Bear Out of the Ashes |
| Daytime Programme | The Weakest Link | The Wright Stuff |
| Documentary Series | Living with Cancer | Lifters Testing God |
| Drama Series | Clocking Off | At Home with the Braithwaites Teachers |
| Entertainment | Banzai | Comic Relief The Kumars at No. 42 |
| Entertainment Performance | Alistair McGowan – Alistair McGowan's Big Impression | |
| Features Primetime | Faking It | Grand Designs: "Huddersfield" Would Like to Meet |
| History | Fire, Plague, War and Treason | Endgame in Ireland Time of Our Lives |
| Nations and Regions Presenter | Tam Cowan – Taxi for Cowan / Offside | |
| Nations and Regions Programme | Tartan Shorts: "Cry for Bobo" | Close Up North: "Railing Against It" The Bench |
| Newcomer – Behind the Scenes | Marc Isaacs – The Lift | |
| Newcomer – On Screen | Johnny Vegas as Charlie Doyle in Happiness | |
| Presenter | Ant & Dec – SMTV Live | |
| Science & Natural History | Congo | Horizon: "What Sank The Kursk?" The Blue Planet |
| Serials and Single Drama | Perfect Strangers | Bob & Rose The Navigators |
| Single Documentary | Kelly and Her Sisters | Cutting Edge: "Brian's Story" One Day of Terror: New York Witnesses |
| Situation Comedy and Comedy Drama | The Office | Brass Eye Phoenix Nights |
| Soap and Continuing Drama | EastEnders | Doctors Hollyoaks |
| Team | Kumbh Mela: The Greatest Show on Earth | Last Night of The Proms My Family |
| Writing | Stephen Poliakoff for Perfect Strangers |
No RTS Gold Medal recipient is recorded for this year.
This year saw a special recognition award for the Channel 4 comedy series Father Ted to mark Dermot Morgan's passing in February 1998. The features award was split into two categories: Daytime and Primetime, and the live event award was discontinued.
| Award | Winners | Nominees |
| RTS Gold Medal | Roger Laughton | – |
| Judges' Award | Andrea Wonfor | – |
| Special Recognition Award | Father Ted | – |
| Actor: Female | Thora Hird as Violet in Talking Heads: "Waiting for the Telegram" |
|
| Actor: Male | Ray Winstone as Woody Williamson in Our Boy | |
| Arts | Close Up: "This England" | Arena: "The Brian Epstein Story" Vile Bodies: "Naked" |
| Children's Drama | Microsoap | Blabbermouth & Stickybeak The Worst Witch |
| Children's Entertainment | The First Snow of Winter | The Bear |
| Children's Factual | The Fame Game | The Really Wild Show Wise Up |
| Documentary Series | Windrush | The Clintons: A Marriage of Power The 50 Years War: Israel and the Arabs |
| Documentary Strand | Natural World | Inside Story Return of the Ba Ba Zee |
| Drama Serial | The Young Person's Guide to Becoming a Rock Star | Amongst Women Our Mutual Friend |
| Drama Series | Jonathan Creek | Hornblower Playing the Field |
| Entertainment | Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? | Big Train So Graham Norton |
| Features Daytime | City Hospital | Lowri |
| Features Primetime | Time Team | Deadly Crocodiles with Steve Irwin Two Fat Ladies |
| Newcomer – Behind the Scenes | Damien O'Donnell – Thirty Five Aside | |
| Newcomer – On Screen | Tony Maudsley as Stefan Kiszko in A Life for A Life | |
| Presenter | David Attenborough – The Life of Birds | |
| Regional Documentary | Put to the Test | Ex-S: "Frankie Miller: Stubborn Kinda Fella" Paying for the Piper |
| Regional Presenter | Noel Thompson | |
| Regional Programme | A Light in the Valley | Making a Difference Scotland's Larder: "From Angus to Andalucia" |
| Single Documentary | Modern Times: "Drinking for England" | Everyman: "Surviving Lockerbie" |
| Single Drama | A Rather English Marriage | Our Boy Talking Heads: "Playing Sandwiches" |
| Situation Comedy and Comedy Drama | Cold Feet | Ted and Ralph The Royle Family |
| Team | Goodness Gracious Me | The Cops The Human Body |
| Television Performance | Rory Bremner – Rory Bremner, Who Else? | |
| Writing | Peter Berry for A Life for A Life |
In 1998 the following new awards were instituted: Documentary strand; Features; Newcomer – behind the scenes; and Newcomer – on screen.
Winners: 1989–1997
In 1989 the awards categories underwent a major revision and several new categories were created. These new awards were retrospectively conferred for the award year of 1988. It was also in 1989 that nominations were introduced in certain categories for the very first time.Single Drama
- 1988: Tumbledown
- 1989: Nobody Here but us Chickens
- 1990: Shoot to Kill
- 1991: Prime Suspect
- 1992: Hedd Wyn
- 1993: The Snapper
- 1994: Screen Two – Criminal
- 1995: 11 Men Against 11
- 1996: Hillsborough
- 1988: Blind Justice
- 1989: A Bit of a Do
- 1990: Inspector Morse
- 1991: Casualty
- 1992: Between the Lines: "Out of the Game"
- 1993: Cracker
- 1994: Common As Muck
- 1995: All Quiet on the Preston Front
- 1996: Ballykissangel
- 1988: A Very British Coup
- 1989: Nice Work
- 1990: Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit
- 1991: Children of the North
- 1992: Goodbye Cruel World
- 1993: Tales of the City
- 1994: Common as Muck
- 1995: Hearts and Minds
- 1996: Our Friends in the North
- 1988: Afghantsi
- 1989: Four Hours in My Lai
- 1990: Red Hot
- 1991: The Leader, His Driver and the Driver's Wife
- 1992: Katie and Eilish: Siamese Twins
- 1993: Disappearing World: "We Are All Neighbours"
- 1994: 25 Bloody Years: "The Dead"
- 1995: True Stories: The Betrayed
- 1996: True Stories: Crime of the Wolf
- 1988: Armada
- 1989: Around the World in 80 Days with Michael Palin
- 1990: Hello Do You Hear Us?
- 1991: Secret History
- 1992: Pandora's Box: "The League of Gentleman"
- 1993: The Plague
- 1994: Network First
- 1995: The Factory
- 1996: The System
- 1988: The Comic Strip Presents... "The Strike"
- 1989: Blackadder Goes Forth
- 1990: Rab C. Nesbitt
- 1991: One Foot in the Grave: "The Man in the Long Black Coat"
- 1992: One Foot in the Grave: "The Worst Horror of All"
- 1993: One Foot in the Grave
- 1994: Drop the Dead Donkey
- 1995: Men Behaving Badly
- 1996: Only Fools and Horses
- 1988: Alexei Sayle's Stuff
- 1989: Whose Line Is It Anyway?
- 1990: French and Saunders
- 1991: Vic Reeves Big Night Out
- 1992: Victoria Wood's All Day Breakfast
- 1993: Barrymore
- 1994: Don't Forget Your Toothbrush
- 1995: Shooting Stars
- 1996: The Fast Show
- 1988: Omnibus: "Whale Nation"
- 1989: Arena: "Tales from Barcelona"
- 1990: Bookmark: "From Moscow to Pietushki"
- 1991: Bookmark: "Dostoevsky's Travels"
- 1992: Bookmark: "Miss Pym's Day Out"
- 1993: The Wonderful Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl
- 1994: Shakespeare on the Estate
- 1995: The Homecoming
- 1996: Arena: "The Burger and the King"
- 1988: Scrumdown
- 1989: Lord Olivier Memorial Service
- 1990: 90 Glorious Years
- 1991: As it Happens – Moscow New Year
- 1992: Last Night of the Proms
- 1993: Stiffelio
- 1994: D-Day Remembered
- 1995: VJ50: The Final Tribute
- 1996: Christmas with the Royal Navy
- 1988: The Calendar Fashion Show
- 1989: Charlie Wing
- 1990: First Sight: "Baby Alex"
- 1991: Scotch and Wry
- 1992: The Snow Show
- 1993: Selected Exits
- 1994: The Empire Laughs Back
- 1995: Two Ceasefires and a Wedding
- 1996: Tartan Shorts – The Star
- 1988: Colin Firth
- 1989: Alfred Molina
- 1990: Ian Richardson
- 1991: Robert Lindsay
- 1992: David Jason
- 1993: Robbie Coltrane
- 1994: Tom Wilkinson
- 1995: Robert Carlyle
- 1996: David Jason
- 1988: Maggie Smith
- 1989: Janet McTeer
- 1990: Charlotte Coleman
- 1991: Helen Mirren
- 1992: Julia Sawalha
- 1993: Kathy Burke
- 1994: Jane Horrocks
- 1995: Helen McCrory
- 1996: Stella Gonet
- 1989: Maid Marian and Her Merry Men
- 1990: Press Gang
- 1991: Dodgem
- 1992: The Borrowers
- 1993: Just Us
- 1994: Children's Ward
- 1995: The Queen's Nose
- 1996: Retrace
- 1989: The Lowdown: "Brave Heart"
- 1990: The Lowdown: "Today I am a Man"
- 1991: Mozart is Alive and Well in Milton Keynes
- 1992: Newsround Special "SOS; The Suffering of Somalia"
- 1993: It'll Never Work?
- 1994: As Seen on TV: "Sheffield"
- 1995: Short Change
- 1996: Wise Up
- 1992: What's The Noise!
- 1993: Old Bear Stories
- 1994: ZZZap!
- 1995: Wolves, Witches and Giants
- 1996: The Ant & Dec Show
- 1988: Stephen Seddon – How to Be Cool
- 1989: Brendan Shore – Theatre Night: "Metamorphosis"
- 1990: Mike Blakely – Disappearing World: "The Kalasha: Rites of Spring"
- 1991: Stephen Seddon – How to Be Cool
- 1992: Lee Eynon – Barcelona Olympics British Medals Sequence
- 1993–1995: No awards made
- 1990: Ben Elton
- 1991: Lynda La Plante
- 1992: Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin
- 1993: Roddy Doyle
- 1994: Donna Franceschild
- 1995: Jimmy McGovern and Paul Powell
- 1996: Peter Flannery
- 1991: Summer on the Estate: Episode 1
- 1992: The Tuesday Special: "Caution – Our Hands Are Tied"
- 1993: This Mine is Ours
- 1994: O Flaen Dy Lygaid / Y Ffordd Galeta
- 1995: Being There: "Last Post on the River Kwai"
- 1996: Home Truths: "A Woman in Twelve"
- 1992: The Big Breakfast
- 1993: This Morning
- 1994: Desmond's
- 1995: EastEnders
- 1996: Gulliver's Travels
- 1993: Male – Chris Evans
- 1993: Female – Margi Clarke
- 1994: Jon Snow
- 1995: John Tusa
- 1996: Cilla Black
- 1993: Eddie Ladd – The Slate
- 1994: Jane Franchi
- 1995: Paddy Kielty
- 1996: Kaye Adams
- 1994: Rory Bremner
- 1995: Caroline Hook
- 1996: Paul Whitehouse
- 1989: Owen Edwards
- 1990: David Attenborough
- 1991: Paul Fox
- 1992: Charles Wheeler
- 1993: Dennis Potter
- 1994: Coronation Street and Cilla Black
- 1995: Bill Cotton
- 1996: Michael Grade
- 1996: Francesca Joseph
- 1989: Roger Bolton
- 1990: Bill Ward
- 1991: Liz Forgan
- 1992: Charles Wheeler
- 1993: Betty Willingale
- 1988: John Lloyd
- 1989: George Jesse Turner
- 1990: Alan Clarke
- 1991: David Croft
- 1992: Lewis Rudd and Anna Home
- 1993: Brian Large
- 1994: Ted Childs
- 1995: Alan Yentob
- 1996: Tony Garnett
Winners: 1975–1988
These are the list of winners since the establishment of the RTSP.Original Programme Award
- 1975: The Burke Special: "The Brian"
- 1976: On the Move
- 1977: Rock Follies
- 1978: Horizon 2002
- 1979: The Kenny Everett Video Show
- 1980: Circuit Eleven Miami
- 1981: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
- 1982: Whoops Apocalypse
- 1983: Jane
- 1984: The Skin Horse
- 1985: 28 Up
- 1986: The Max Headroom Show
- 1987: Phil Cool
- 1988: V
- 1975: Gordon Jackson
- 1976: Tom Conti
- 1977: Siân Phillips
- 1978: Peter Barkworth
- 1979: Ian Holm
- 1980: Timothy West
- 1981: Celia Johnson and Michael Hordern
- 1982: Ian Richardson
- 1983: Ian McKellen
- 1984: Alan Bates
- 1985: Jean Alexander
- 1986: Anna Massey and David Suchet
- 1987: Joan Hickson and Michael Gambon
- 1988: Miranda Richardson and Ray McAnally
- 1975: Oh to be in Ulster
- 1976: A Man Between Three Rivers
- 1977: It's No Joke Living in Barnsley
- 1978: Beneath the Pennines: Pippikin Pot
- 1979: From the Roots came the Wrapper
- 1980: Lancaster Legend – A Pilot's Story
- 1981: Valentine's Day
- 1982: Recipe for Disaster
- 1983: Cavalcade: A Backstage Story
- 1984: I Can Hear you Smile
- 1985: The Dying Swan
- 1986: Living with CF
- 1987: All Change at Evercreech Junction
- 1988: Paper Kisses
- 1975: Stan Barstow
- 1976: Ron Downing
- 1977: Jack Rosenthal
- 1978: Tom Stoppard
- 1979: Andrew Birkin
- 1980: Elaine Morgan
- 1981: Peter Ransley
- 1982: Jack Pulman
- 1983: Alan Bleasdale
- 1984: Alan Bennett and Ken Taylor
- 1985: Alan Plater
- 1986: Alan Bennett and Graham Reid
- 1987: Andrew Davies
- 1988: Bill Nicholson
- 1975: Jimmy Boyers
- 1976: David Multon
- 1977: Vic Finch
- 1978: Philip Bonham-Carter
- 1979: BBC
- 1980: Thames TV
- 1981: STV
- 1982: Dave Jervis, Bert Postlethwaite, Dick Coles, Norman Brierley and Peter Ware
- 1983: LWT
- 1984: Bill Millar
- 1985: Robin Lobb / BBC Special Effects team
- 1986: Roger Pratt
- 1987: John Fyfe and Colin Innes-Hopkins
- 1988: John Hooper
- 1975: Fred Pusey
- 1976: David Myerscough-Jones
- 1977: Thames TV
- 1978: Roy Stonehouse
- 1979: Barry Newbery
- 1980: Sally Hulke
- 1981: Andrew Drummond
- 1982: Tim Harvey
- 1983: Juanita Waterson
- 1984: Vic Symonds / Alan Pickford
- 1985: Jan Spoczynski
- 1986: The Design Team
- 1987: The Design Team
- 1988: the design award was spun off into the Craft & Design Awards
- 1975: Diana Edwards-Jones
- 1976: John Willis
- 1977: Production team of Sailor
- 1978: John Irvin
- 1979: Christopher Ralling
- 1980: Jonathan Powell
- 1981: Jonathan Miller
- 1982: Innes Lloyd
- 1983: Ronald Neil
- 1984: Margaret Matheson
- 1985: Richard Taylor
- 1986: Edward Barnes
- 1987: Kenith Trodd
- 1988: John Willis
- 1975: Lord Aylestone
- 1976: Huw Wheldon
- 1977: Cyril Bennett, Aubrey Buxton, Charles Curran, Bernard Sendall
- 1978: Geoffrey Cox
- 1979: The Open University
- 1980: Robin Scott
- 1981: John Freeman
- 1982: Hugh Greene
- 1983: Howard Steele
- 1984: William Brown
- 1985: Richard Taylor
- 1986: Production team of Survival
- 1987: Denis Forman, Tony Pilgrim, Bill McMahon
- 1988: David Rose
- 1975: Ronnie Barker
- 1976: John Cleese
- 1977: Bernard Hepton
- 1978: Huw Wheldon
- 1979: Bryan Magee
- 1984: BBC Micro computer project team
- 1985: Shaun Sutton for the BBC Shakespeare plays
- 1986: Mersey Television for Brookside
- 1987: Ken Westbury and Dennis Potter
- 1988: Betty Willingale
- 1986: Look at Me
- 1987: Odysseus
- 1988: Bad Boyes
- 1977: Lord Grade
- 1978: Huw Wheldon
- 1979: Shaun Sutton
- 1980: Denis Forman
- 1981: Granada TV – Drama Documentary Unit
- 1982: BBC Bristol – Natural History Unit
- 1983: Jeremy Isaacs
- 1984: Paul Fox
- 1985: David Nicholas
- 1986: James Hawthorne
- 1987: Alasdair Milne
- 1988: David Plowright
- 1988: Cilla Black