Royal Television Society honours the Best of the East and West Midlands

CELEBRITIES, programme makers and regional business leaders have gathered at the Burlington Hotel in Birmingham to celebrate television programme and multimedia-making successes from the East and West Midlands at this year’s Royal Television Society (RTS) Midlands Centre Awards.

Eighteen awards were presented at the dinner and awards ceremony last Saturday, October 25.

Hosted by BBC’s Ashley Blake and ITV’s Lucy Kite, the event featured a variety of categories, which included Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Magazine, Best Drama, Best Innovation and Best New Talent and Student Awards.

Lucy Kite and Ashley Blake Photograph by Steve Fisher

Corporate and new media producers were also honoured for continually promoting innovation in their fields and for putting the region at the centre of the digital age.

Best Actor winner Michael McKell and Rosemary Conley CBE Photo by Steve Fisher

Sky News' Marverine Cole (L), OK! and Star Magazine's Hershey Pascual (C) and celebrity hairstylist Paul Merritt (R) Photo by Steve Fisher

Ex-Big Brother housemate and ITV presenter Alison Hammond Photo by Steve Fisher

The coveted Baird Medal Award for outstanding regional achievement was presented to ITV Central’s Bob Warman. Bob is one of the country’s longest serving broadcasters.

Janet Wootton, Chair of the RTS Midlands Centre said:  “Television, much like any other business, is working to new agendas and adapting to market changes and viewer preferences in a highly competitive creative environment.

“Our RTS Midlands awards recognise not the bankability of programmes and formats but the ingenuity and professionalism of the people involved in making them from concept to delivery.”

RTS Midlands Centre Chair Janet Wootton Photo by Steve Fisher

The event was generously supported by Business Link West Midlands, Birmingham City Council, the BBC, ITV Central and BMS Homes.