The series was a hit with both viewers and critics

Costing �6 million to make, it traced the history of dinosaurs from their origins in the Triassic period around 230 million years ago through to their extinction 65 million years ago.

Walking With Dinosaurs has already won a number of other awards, and the animation team behind it have been in high demand since the series was broadcast last year.

It is in the running at the Bafta craft awards at the end of April.

Long-running BBC Two satirical quiz Have I Got News For You, presented by Angus Deayton with Ian Hislop and Paul Merton, won the best television programme award.

Have I Got News For You was named best television programme

BBC Radio 4 won a hat-trick of awards, including best radio programme for From Our Own Correspondent and best new radio programme for a dramatisation of Nicholas Nickleby.

The Best Individual Radio Contributor award was given to Radio 4's news presenter Nick Clarke.

Former BBC political reporter John Sergeant, who recently replaced Michael Brunson as ITN's political editor, won an award for best individual TV contributor.

A special accolade went to the makers of the BBC Two drama Shooting The Past, starring Timothy Spall and Lindsay Duncan, which told of a photographic archive faced with takeover by an American corporation.