Ross beat rivals Graham Norton and Ant and Dec

He won the society's annual prize for best entertainment performance at an awards ceremony in central London on Tuesday night.

Channel 4's Phoenix Nights 2 was named best sitcom, while The Office creator Ricky Gervais won for best comedy performance.

Coronation Street was voted best soap, and ITV1's Pop Idol final featuring Will Young and Gareth Gates won best entertainment programme.

Click here to see the winners in full

Ross beat off competition from Graham Norton and Ant and Dec to land the best entertainment performance prize.

He received the trophy for his BBC One chat show Friday Night with Jonathan Ross, and his appearances on the sports quiz They Think It's All Over.

In his acceptance speech he took an affectionate swipe at his main rival, saying: "I'm so used to seeing Graham Norton coming to get this award on my behalf."

Gervais won for best comedy performance

Gervais was also in jovial mood as he picked up the best comedy performance prize - despite The Office being beaten by Phoenix Nights 2.

He said: "So I get best performance but Phoenix Nights gets best sitcom - that means everyone else involved in The Office is just dead wood."

Coronation Street, which has enjoyed huge ratings for its storyline involving serial killer Richard Hillman, triumphed in the soap category - after failing to make the shortlist last year.

It beat rivals Doctors and Emmerdale to win the title.

The show's executive producer, Kieran Roberts, paid tribute to the "crews and wonderful actors who work very hard in Manchester to make Coronation Street week in, week out".

The BBC triumphed in the best event category with its coverage of the Queen's Golden Jubilee weekend - beating Channel 4's controversial live broadcast of a public autopsy.

BBC One's Clocking Off took the best drama series title at the awards ceremony, held at London's Grosvenor House Hotel.

Fashion experts Susannah Constantine and Trinny Woodall were named best factual presenters for their BBC Two show What Not To Wear.

Coronation Street was recognised as best soap

Veteran presenter Des O'Connor's show, Today With Des and Mel, was named best daytime programme, beating GMTV.

BBC Two drama Flesh and Blood was a double winner.

Its star Christopher Eccleston was named best actor for his performance as a man who traces his real parents to find they both have learning difficulties - while the script took the best writer prize for Peter Bowker.

The best actress prize went to Julie Walters for her performance in BBC Two's Murder.

S4C's Welsh language shows took both of the regional prizes.

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Full list of the awards:

• Best serial/single drama - Out of Control (BBC One)
• Best drama series - Clocking Off (BBC One)
• Best soap - Coronation Street (ITV1)
• Best writer - Peter Bowker (Flesh and Blood, BBC2)
• Best actor - Christopher Eccleston (Flesh and Blood, BBC Two)
• Best actress - Julie Walters (Murder, BBC Two)
• Best event - The Jubilee Weekend (BBC One)
• Best acquired programme - Six Feet Under (Channel 4)
• Best behind the scenes newcomer - David Modell (Director of Young, Nazi and Proud, Channel 4)
• Best on-screen newcomer - Jimmy Carr (Your Face or Mine, Channel 4)
• Best regional programme - Ar Y Stryd (S4C)
• Best regional presenter - Dewi Pws (Byd Pws, S4C)
• Best factual presenter - Susannah Constantine and Trinny Woodall (What Not To Wear, BBC Two)
• Best entertainment performance - Jonathan Ross (Friday Night with Jonathan Ross/They Think It's all Over, BBC One)
• Best entertainment - Pop Idol (ITV1)
• Best comedy performance - Ricky Gervais (The Office, BBC Two)
• Best sitcom/comedy drama - Phoenix Nights 2 (Channel 4)
• Best children's fiction - Double Act (Channel 4)
• Best children's factual - Serious Jungle (BBC One)
• Best documentary series - The Hunt for Britain's Paedophiles (BBC Two)
• Best single documentary - House of War (Channel 4)
• Best science/natural history - Superfly (BBC Four)
• Best history - Dambusters: Revealed (Five)
• Best art - The Strange World of Barry Who? (BBC Four)
• Best primetime features - Lad's Army (ITV1)
• Best daytime programme - Today with Des and Mel (ITV1)
• Judges' award - Peter Bazalgette (Independent TV producer)
• Gold medal for outstanding contribution to TV - David Liddiment (former ITV controller)