Adolescence star Owen Cooper takes two RTS Awards

Netflix drama Adolescence has won four awards at the 2026 Royal Television Society (RTS) Programme Awards in London.

The British show's 16-year-old star Owen Cooper took both breakthrough and supporting actor in the male categories for his performance as teenage murder suspect Jamie Miller.

Adolescence, which has dominated the 2026 awards season, also won for best limited series, while co-star Stephen Graham - who plays Jamie's father - took best writer for the drama category alongside Jack Thorne.

Meanwhile, the BBC led the night with 16 RTS wins, including victories for Celebrity Traitors in the entertainment and reality category, and Things You Should Have Done for scripted comedy.

BBC's Blue Lights won for best drama, and EastEnders took the award soap and continuing drama.

Leading actor in the female category was won by Narges Rashidi for her role in Prisoner 951. The BBC factual drama tells the story of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who was detained by the Iranian state for nearly six years.

In the comedy awards, Steve Coogan won best male performance for How Are You? It's Alan (Partridge) and Philippa Dunne picked up the award for female comedy performance for Amandaland.

Her co-star Lucy Punch was also nominated in the same category.

On the red carpet she said it was an honour to be nominated and was overwhelmed with how much love people have shown the Motherland spin-off.

"I would probably be friends with my character Anne, she's just so wonderful at everything and such a nice person," she tells the BBC.

Judges said "the comedic ability Dunne brings to this show is extraordinary".

Gabby Logan won the sports presenter award for her coverage of the Women's Rugby World Cup 2025.

Speaking to the BBC on the red carpet, she said it was incredible to see how women's football and rugby has taken off in recent years.

"These women are so talented and very aware of their legacy and it's amazing for them to be able to tell their story.

"They're doing what the men do but on a far smaller budget so well done to them."

The stars of the BBC's Unforgivable, Bobby Schofield and Anna Friel, picked up awards for leading actor in the male category, and for supporting actor in the female category.

Sir Michael Palin was given the Outstanding Achievement Award.

The RTS Awards were hosted by comedian Tom Allen at the JW Marriott Grosvenor House Hotel.

Allen told the BBC on the red carpet that it was an honour to be presenting the show again.

"It's the award ceremony where people let their how down a little bit more so that's really nice," he says.

When writing his speech he says he's never "too outrageous or mean with the jokes and I always go for the people at the top of the tree and they can take it."

Judges described Adolescence's Cooper as a "natural talent", with "a performance of phenomenal skill in a demanding, uncompromising role".

He portrayed 13-year-old Jamie Miller, who is arrested for killing a girl in his school, in the four-part drama set in South Yorkshire.

The Adolescence cast have enjoyed plenty of awards success, including at the Emmys, Golden Globes and Critics Choice awards. The show also has 11 nominations for the upcoming Bafta TV awards.