‘A joyful example of taking a bit of a leap in commissioning and delivering on it’
Happy Prince for Disney+
“Rivals is simply the full package (excuse the pun),” one of our judges enthuses. “It feels like everything a modern drama series should be; escapist, entertaining, characterful, full of heart and meaning, plus it looks beautiful on screen. This is a show I adored not only watching but also talking about with friends and colleagues – a joyful example of taking a bit of a leap in commissioning and delivering on it.”
Jilly Cooper’s tale of 1980s TV execs and politicians attempting to outbid each other for a regional franchise might have been a blast from the past for many in the industry, but the care, wit and joie de vivre the Happy Prince team put into this adaptation brought it bang up-to-date, holding a mirror up to the modern day.
Lead writers Dominic Treadwell-Collins and Laura Wade read 400 scripts and met with 60 writers in their bid to assemble the perfect writers room, and their efforts paid off – the show is raunchy, funny, camp and distinctly British, offering a balance of light and shade which honours the source material and captivates modern audiences.
Its glittering ensemble cast, including David Tennant, Bella Maclean, Aidan Turner, Danny Dyer, Katherine Parkinson, Oliver Chris, Nafessa Williams, Emily Atack, Luke Pasqualino and Rufus Jones brought Cooper’s irrepressible characters to life in one of the most talked-about shows of the year.
SHORTLISTED
Bergerac
BlackLight TV & Westward Studios for U&Drama
With this commission, UKTV sought to reinvigorate a fan favourite show, paying homage to the original while introducing the nation to a new, darker version. Blacklight wrestled with a tight budget (made trickier by the fact that the show’s iconic setting, Jersey, isn’t eligible for UK tax credits) to create something that will draw in new and existing fans alike.
Pete Wicks: For Dogs’ Sake
BBC Studios Entertainment for U&W
Pete Wicks’s charm and love of dogs shines through in this series which seeks to tell the stories of just some of the 100,000 dogs waiting in UK rescue centres for a new home. The show captured dramatic moments as dogs are given away or welcomed into new home, and prompted a 30% rise in donations to The Dogs Trust.
Slow Horses
See-Saw Films in assoc with Apple for Apple TV+
The third series of Apple TV+’s word-of-mouth hit, based on the series of award-winning books by Mick Herron about a team of washed-up spies consigned to an out-of-the-way MI5 unit, has received rave reviews across the board, and cemented the show’s position with its legion of adoring fans.
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