The Killing takes international Bafta

Danish crime thriller The Killing last night scooped the prize for best international series at the UK’s most prestigious television awards ceremony.

The DR/ZDF Enterprises copro, shown in Britain on diginet BBC4, beat off competition from a host of US imports to win the prize at the British Academy Television Awards (Baftas).

HBO’s Boardwalk Empire, 20th Century Fox’s Glee and Lionsgate Television’s Mad Men were also nominated for the award.

The first two seasons of The Killing, broadcast in Denmark on pubcaster DR, were shown in the UK on BBC4. It will now be remade by US cablenet AMC, which has already sold the series to the UK’s Channel 4.

Also among the winners at the ceremony was Flying Monsters 3D, from Sky 3D and Atlantic Productions, which landed an award in the specialist factual category – the first 3D programme ever to win a Bafta.

Accepting the trophy, producer Anthony Geffen remarked that veteran natural history broadcaster Sir David Attenborough, who narrates the series, had won Baftas for programmes filmed in black and white, colour, high definition and now 3D.

UK-based Objective Productions and Lime Pictures, both owned by All3Media, also won awards for ITV gameshow The Cube (best entertainment programme) and ITV2 reality series The Only Way Is Essex (YouTube audience award).

Best drama went to the BBC1/Hartswood Films’ Sherlock, a modern-day take of the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle character. A second instalment of Sherlock is currently in the works.

The best drama serial award – for a series of finite episodes that will not return – went to Any Human Heart, from Channel 4 and Heartswood Films.

Welcome to Lagos, from BBC2/Keo North took the gong for best factual series.

Best sitcom went to BBC2/Big Talk Productions’ Rev, while the best comedy programme award was given to Harry and Paul, from BBC2 and Tiger Aspect Productions. The latter’s former founder and chairman Peter Bennet-Jones received the Bafta special award for outstanding contribution to the entertainment industry.