C5 named Channel of the Year

This year’s Best International Drama was MGM and Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale

ETVF: Channel 5 has picked up the Channel of the Year Award at the Edinburgh Television Festival.

The Viacom-owned free-to-air network beat fellow UK broadcasters BBC1, BBC2, BBC3, ITV and ITV2 to the award, which was last year won by BBC1.

The Handmaid’s Tale, an MGM and Hulu production, was named Best International Drama, while CBBC, the BBC’s channel for six- to-12-year-olds, was named Specialist Channel of the Year.

In other categories, CPL Productions, part of Red Arrow Studios, took home the Production Company of the Year award.

Michael Palin talks to Edith Bowman after the unveiling of Michael Palin in North Korea at ETVF

The company produces shows such as Channel 4’s Old People’s Home for 4 Year Olds, which won Best Popular Factual Series.

Studio Lambert took home two awards: Best Entertainment Series for Gogglebox and Best UK Drama for Three Girls, which it produced with BBC Studios (BBCS).

Blue Planet II, from BBCS’s Natural History Unit, was named Best Documentary Programme. Best Comedy Series went to Derry Girls, produced by Hat Trick, which C21 revealed earlier this month has been commissioned for a third season.

Comedian Rachel Parris was named Best Breakthrough Talent, while Monty Python star Michael Palin, who fronts C5’s forthcoming travel series Michael Palin in North Korea, was in Edinburgh to pick up this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

Festival director Lisa Campbell said: “It is testament to the immense talent our industry offers that we have been able to increase the number of categories in our awards.

“Huge congratulations to all our winners, from our breakthrough talent to a lifetime achievement. It truly is a celebration of the range of talent and programmes our industry produces.”