RTS Awards to be held behind closed doors amid coronavirus concerns
Stars including Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Jared Harris and Saoirse-Monica Jackson are among the nominees at this year’s awards.
The Royal Television Society (RTS) Programme Awards will be held behind closed doors next week amid coronavirus concerns.
RTS said it has been monitoring the current climate in line with official guidance against large gatherings of people, and has decided to streamline the format of the ceremony.
The organisation said that nominees and RTS representatives will still be able to attend the event, which will now be more intimate, and that the broader industry will be able to watch the ceremony via a live link.
The event will take place on March 17.
RTS chief executive Theresa Wise said: “While adapting as necessary to the current situation, we aim to continue celebrating the past year of television and excellence in our industry in the best way possible – by honouring nominees and winners through a streamlined event.
“We look forward to offering everyone the opportunity to join us via live stream as we host the RTS Programme Awards.”
This year’s RTS Programme Award nominees include Fleabag creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Derry Girls’ Saoirse-Monica Jackson and Jared Harris.
Waller-Bridge and Jackson are both up for female comedy performance, along with Diane Morgan for Motherland.
Waller-Bridge is also up for the comedy writer award for Fleabag, which has an additional nomination in the scripted comedy category.
Chernobyl is up for the mini-series prize, while its lead star Harris has received a nod in the male actor category.
Top Boy’s Micheal Ward, Gentleman Jack’s Suranne Jones and Sex Education star Ncuti Gatwa are among the other nominees in the acting categories.
BBC Three, Channel 5 and Sky Atlantic are in the running for the channel of the year gong.
The UK currently has 373 confirmed cases of coronavirus, and on Tuesday a sixth death was announced.
