A Complete Guide To UK Television Awards Past And Present

Television awards have helped celebrate British broadcasting for decades. Long before streaming changed viewing habits, award ceremonies were recognising the actors, writers, presenters, producers and programmes that shaped what the nation watched.

Today, the UK television awards landscape is made up of ceremonies with very different purposes. Some are judged by industry professionals, some are voted for by the public, while others focus on specific genres such as soaps, drama, broadcasting or entertainment.

Together, they provide a useful record of British television history, showing which programmes captured public attention, which performances earned industry respect and which shows became part of wider cultural conversation.

BAFTA Television Awards

The BAFTA Television Awards are widely regarded as among the most prestigious honours in British television.

Presented by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, their roots stretch back to the 1950s. The awards recognise excellence across drama, comedy, entertainment, factual programming, performance, writing, directing and production.

Unlike public-voted ceremonies, BAFTA winners are selected through industry judging processes. This gives the awards a particular status, as recognition comes from people working within television and related creative fields.

BAFTA also presents separate Television Craft Awards, celebrating behind-the-scenes areas such as writing, editing, directing, production design, sound and visual effects.

For many working in television, winning a BAFTA remains one of the highest professional achievements in the industry.

National Television Awards

The National Television Awards, better known as the NTAs, launched in 1995 and became one of the biggest public-voted television events in the UK.

The ceremony stands apart because the winners are chosen entirely by viewers. Rather than being decided by industry panels, the results reflect the programmes, presenters and performers audiences have connected with most strongly.

The awards cover drama, entertainment, factual programming, talent shows, presenters and soap operas.

Soaps have traditionally been a major part of the NTAs. Coronation Street, EastEnders, Emmerdale and Hollyoaks have all competed for major honours, while soap actors have often been among the most talked-about nominees.

An NTA win is widely seen as one of the clearest signs of genuine audience support.

British Soap Awards

Launched in 1999, the British Soap Awards were created to celebrate one of Britain's most successful television genres.

The ceremony became a major annual event for soap viewers, recognising Coronation Street, EastEnders, Emmerdale, Hollyoaks, Doctors, Brookside and other continuing dramas across different years.

Categories changed over time but regularly included Best British Soap, Best Newcomer, Villain of the Year, Scene of the Year, Outstanding Achievement and awards for individual performances. The majority of awards were decided by a panel of industry professionals, while certain categories including Best British Soap were voted for by the public.

The awards became a record of some of soap television's most memorable moments, from groundbreaking storylines and dramatic exits to long-running characters and landmark episodes.

The future of the British Soap Awards remains uncertain. ITV confirmed that the ceremony would not take place in 2026, describing the move as a break. Since then, reports have suggested the pause could continue indefinitely, although ITV has not officially confirmed a permanent cancellation and has stated that no final decision has been made. The 2025 ceremony, hosted by Jane McDonald at the Hackney Empire, currently stands as the most recent edition.

RadioTimes Soap Awards

The RadioTimes Soap Awards emerged as a direct response to disruptions affecting the British Soap Awards.

Radio Times first launched a soap awards in 2020 when the British Soap Awards were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The ceremony was revived again in 2024 when the British Soap Awards were once more absent from the schedule, with that year's ceremony taking place at the Midland Hotel in Manchester hosted by comedian Brian Conley.

Since 2024, the majority of the awards have been decided by a panel of industry professionals, while certain categories including Best Soap are voted for by the general public.

The ceremony has quickly established itself as part of the soap awards landscape. With the British Soap Awards on hiatus again in 2026, the RadioTimes Soap Awards provides an additional platform for recognising achievement across the genre.

Inside Soap Awards

The Inside Soap Awards have been running since 1996 and are one of the longest-established soap-focused ceremonies in the UK.

Unlike broader television ceremonies, they concentrate entirely on soap operas and continuing dramas. The awards are voted for entirely by readers of Inside Soap magazine, recognising performers, storylines, partnerships, villains, families and newcomers.

British soaps dominate the ceremony, but Australian favourites such as Home and Away and Neighbours have also featured prominently over the years.

The Inside Soap Awards are entirely separate from the British Soap Awards and RadioTimes Soap Awards. They are run by Inside Soap magazine rather than ITV or Radio Times, use a different voting system and have maintained an unbroken annual run since their launch.

Because of their specialist focus and long history, the Inside Soap Awards provide a valuable snapshot of soap history and changing audience tastes across three decades.

TV Choice Awards

TV Choice magazine launched in 1999. The awards developed under the TV Choice brand, having previously been associated with the TV Quick Awards, before becoming one of the UK's regular reader-voted television ceremonies.

The awards celebrate a wide range of programmes and personalities across British television. Categories include drama, entertainment, factual programming, daytime television and soaps.

Unlike the BAFTAs, which are industry-led, the TV Choice Awards reflect mainstream audience preference. They sit between large public-voted ceremonies such as the NTAs and specialist soap ceremonies such as the Inside Soap Awards.

For continuing dramas, the awards offer another route for performers, characters and storylines to be recognised by viewers.

TRIC Awards

The Television and Radio Industries Club Awards, commonly known as the TRIC Awards, are among the longest-running awards in British broadcasting.

The Television and Radio Industries Club was established in 1931, while the awards themselves date back to 1969. The very first ceremony, held at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London, presented just three awards to Val Doonican, Kenneth Horne and The Forsyte Saga - marking the beginning of what would become one of the most enduring fixtures in the broadcasting calendar.

Unlike most television ceremonies, TRIC celebrates achievements across television, radio and wider broadcasting. Categories have included drama, soap, entertainment, factual programming, presenters, radio personalities and online media. Since 2019, winners have been decided through public voting from a shortlist of nominees.

This broader focus gives the awards a distinct place within the industry and reflects the changing nature of modern broadcasting.

Royal Television Society Awards

The Royal Television Society has roots dating back to 1927, when it was founded as the Television Society during the pioneering years of television technology.

That distinction matters. The organisation itself dates back to the early development of television, while its awards developed later as television became a major creative and broadcasting industry.

Today, the Royal Television Society Awards recognise achievements across journalism, drama, comedy, sport, factual programming and technical production.

Highly respected within the industry, RTS recognition is often viewed as an important marker of professional excellence and innovation.

Broadcasting Press Guild Awards

The Broadcasting Press Guild was founded in 1974 and represents journalists who write and broadcast about television, radio and the media.

Its awards are voted for by journalists and critics rather than the public or wider television industry.

This gives the ceremony a distinct identity. Winners are often programmes and performances that have earned strong critical acclaim, making the awards an important measure of how television is viewed by those who cover the industry professionally.

In recent years, the awards have also reflected the rise of streaming platforms and digital broadcasting.

TV Times Awards

The TV Times Awards are linked to one of Britain's best-known television listings magazines and remain part of the magazine-led awards landscape.

The first public vote took place in the 1969 Christmas edition of TV Times, helping establish the awards as a regular feature of television culture during the 1970s and 1980s.

Unlike the BAFTAs or RTS Awards, they are not positioned as industry honours. Their value comes from reflecting the tastes of television readers and viewers, and they have remained part of British television culture for more than five decades.

Recent TV Times Awards have recognised major television names, including Lorraine Kelly, who received a Special Recognition honour in 2025.

Variety Club Showbusiness Awards

The Variety Club Showbusiness Awards are part of the wider work of Variety, the Children's Charity, and recognise achievement across entertainment.

Unlike strictly television-focused ceremonies, the awards cover a broader showbusiness world, including television, film, theatre, music, radio and sport.

Recent winners and honourees have included major television figures such as Ant and Dec, William Roache and Barbara Knox.

The Variety Club Awards demonstrate how TV performers can be recognised beyond programme-specific or broadcaster-specific ceremonies, placing television achievement within a wider entertainment context.

Other Television Awards

While the ceremonies above are among the most recognisable for UK viewers, they are not the only awards celebrating television.

Industry-focused events such as the Broadcast Awards and Broadcast Digital Awards recognise excellence in programme making, production and innovation across television and streaming. The internationally respected Rose d'Or Awards regularly honour British productions alongside entries from around the world. The Edinburgh TV Awards celebrate achievement and emerging talent within broadcasting. More recently, the National Comedy Awards have provided a dedicated platform for recognising comedy programmes and performers across television and streaming.

Together, these ceremonies demonstrate the breadth of the television industry and the many different ways success can be recognised.

The Commercial Value Of Television Awards

Television awards are not only about trophies.

For broadcasters, nominations and wins can generate publicity, boost programme visibility and provide fresh promotional opportunities. A major award can help a drama reach new viewers, remind audiences to return to a soap or strengthen a programme's reputation with advertisers and the wider press.

For soaps, awards can be particularly valuable because continuing dramas depend on long-term audience loyalty. Recognition for a storyline, actor or partnership can help keep a show in public conversation and reinforce its place within a competitive television landscape.

Awards do not determine the future of a programme on their own, but they can contribute to momentum, reputation and industry confidence.

How Television Awards Have Changed

The television industry has changed dramatically since the earliest awards ceremonies were established.

In the past, a small number of broadcasters dominated viewing. Today, audiences can choose from traditional channels, streaming platforms and on-demand services, creating a much more competitive environment.

Award ceremonies have adapted alongside these changes. New categories have been introduced, voting systems have evolved and streaming productions now compete alongside traditional broadcasters.

Despite these developments, the purpose of television awards remains consistent: recognising strong storytelling, memorable performances and creative achievement.

The Different Types Of Television Awards

The UK's television awards generally fall into four broad categories.

Industry awards, such as the BAFTA Television Awards and Royal Television Society Awards, are judged by television professionals and carry significant industry prestige.

Public-voted awards, including the National Television Awards and TV Choice Awards, reflect audience popularity and viewer support.

Genre-specific awards, such as the British Soap Awards, RadioTimes Soap Awards and Inside Soap Awards, focus on particular areas of television and allow specialist achievements to be recognised.

Critic-led awards, including the Broadcasting Press Guild Awards, reflect the views of journalists and reviewers who cover television professionally.

Together, these different approaches create a fuller picture of television success. A programme can be critically respected, publicly loved, commercially valuable or all three at once.

Sources: BAFTA, National Television Awards, British Soap Awards, RadioTimes, Inside Soap, TV Choice, Television and Radio Industries Club, Royal Television Society, Broadcasting Press Guild, TV Times, Variety the Children's Charity, Broadcast Awards, Rose d'Or, Edinburgh TV Awards, National Comedy Awards. All images credited to their respective owners.