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Good Doctor named most watched drama

The Good Doctor is ABC’s adaptation of a South Korean drama

MCTVF: US network series The Good Doctor has been named the most watched television drama in the world, with a global audience of almost 50 million viewers.

The 14th International TV Audience Awards, announced last night in partnership with the Monte Carlo Television Festival (MCTVF) and Eurodata TV Worldwide, determined the winners based on the total TV ratings of shows’ best-performing episodes in 63 territories around the world.

The Freddie Highmore-fronted ABC medical procedural, adapted from a South Korean show, was named the most popular series thanks to its 47.4 million viewers, ahead of fellow US hospital series Grey’s Anatomy and Indian fantasy drama Naagin.

In crime drama, Lethal Weapon, scoring ratings of 24.2 million, beat competition from Criminal Minds and Midsomer Murders, while India’s Dil se Dil Tank (From Your Heart to Mine) topped the telenovela/soap opera category with 13.3 million viewers. Other nominees in the latter group included Turkey’s Elif and US series The Bold & The Beautiful.

The prizes were announced as part of the Golden Nymph Awards, which are held annually to mark the closing night of the five-day MCTVF.

Showtime’s limited series Escape at Dannemora was named best long fiction programme, while star Patricia Arquette continued her award-winning run by picking up the outstanding actress award. She has already won Golden Globe and a Screen Actors Guild gongs for her role as Tilly Mitchell in the prison-break drama. Best actor was Grégory Montel for France’s La Soif de Vivre (Thirst for Life).

Israel’s On the Spectrum won best comedy series, with stars Naomi Levov and Niv Majar making it a clean sweep in the category with the outstanding actress and actor prizes respectively.

In the drama series round, Italy’s period adaptation L’Amica Geniale (My Brilliant Friend) collected the best drama series award, while Das Boot’s Vicky Krieps and Bodyguard’s Richard Madden triumphed in the acting categories.

In the news category, best documentary went to German-South Korean copro Dollar Heroes – North Korea’s Secret Slaves. NHK’s Crackdown: The Rule of Law in China was the jury prize winner.

Other awards presented included The Prince Rainier III Special Prize, handed to Raw TV’s documentary Drowning in Plastic, while the Monaco Red Cross Prize went to BBC single drama Care. Hollywood actor Michael Douglas was presented with the Crystal Nymph, recognising his contribution to film and television.

HSH Prince Albert II, honorary president of the festival, said: “The 59th Monte Carlo Television Festival has not only offered glittering entertainment but has provided a forum for contemporary, topical debate. All this has been possible thanks to our wonderful international television industry participation. From fiction to documentaries to news content, our Golden Nymph Awards celebrate excellence across all genres.”

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