Adolescence Tops 2026 Royal Television Society Program Awards, With 2 Wins for Owen Cooper

Hot off the heels of the BAFTA TV Awards nominations, Adolescence is continuing its run of form with four wins at the Royal Television Society‘s Program Awards.

The ceremony took place at London’s JW Marriott Grosvenor House Hotel on Tuesday night, hosted by comedian-presenter Tom Allen with the aim of celebrating the best of U.K. television. Among the attendees were Erin Doherty, Dylan Llewllyn, Steve Coogan, Mawaan Rizwan, Stephen Graham, Katherine Parkinson, Lucy Punch, Davina McCall, Gabby Logan, Alison Steadman, Jack Thorne, and Malachi Kirby.

Across the 29 competitive categories, the BBC led with 16 awards, including for The Celebrity Traitors and wins for the stars of Unforgivable, Bobby Schofield and Anna Friel, in the leading actor and supporting actress categories. The BBC also won the highly contested drama series category for Blue Lights, and Kat Sadler nabbed best writer for Such Brave Girls.

Netflix followed with five wins, four of which went to Adolescence. Breakout star Owen Cooper won both the breakthrough award and supporting actor prize. Cooper’s co-star Erin Doherty also presented the judges’ award to Adolescence producers Stephen Graham, Hannah Walters, and Matriarch Productions, gaining recognition for providing a platform for underrepresented voices — from all cultural backgrounds and social classes —to tell their story.

“They wanted to produce work that offered a voice to the voiceless, work that told the neglected narratives of people who’d grown used to their life experiences and struggles being overlooked —or just plain ignored,” said co-star Doherty, presenting them with the award. “In particular, they wanted to tell stories that had a working-class perspective running right through them.”

In the comedy categories, Prime Video’s Last One Laughing won comedy entertainment, while Steve Coogan won for his performance in How Are You? It’s Alan (Partridge). Channel 4’s Big Boys took home the comedy drama award, and the BBC’s Things You Should Have Done, fronted by comedian and internet personality Lucia Keskin/Chi With A C, won in the scripted category.

The 2026 outstanding achievement award went to Monty Python star Michael Palin. Check out the full list of winners at RTS’ Program Awards below.

Arts

The Last Musician of Auschwitz

Breakthrough Award

Owen Cooper, Adolescence

Children’s Program

Crongton

Comedy Drama

Big Boys

Comedy Entertainment

Last One Laughing

Comedy Performance – Female

Philippa Dunne, Amandaland

Comedy Performance – Male

Steve Coogan, How Are You? It’s Alan (Partridge)

Daytime Program

BBC Breakfast – Our Girls: The Southport Families

Documentary Series

Bibaa & Nicole: Murder in the Park

Drama Series

Blue Lights

Entertainment & Reality

The Celebrity Traitors

Entertainment Performance

Rob Beckett & Romesh Ranganathan, Rob & Romesh Vs

Formatted Popular Factual

The Assembly

History

Flight 149: Hostage of War

Leading Actor – Female

Narges Rashidi, Prisoner 951

Leading Actor – Male

Bobby Schofield, Unforgivable

Limited Series and Single Drama

Adolescence

Live Event

Holocaust Memorial Day 2025 (BBC Studios Events for BBC)

Presenter

Hamza Yassin, Hamza’s Hidden Wild Isles

Science & The Natural World

Underdogs

Scripted Comedy

Things You Should Have Done

Single Documentary

Grenfell: Uncovered

Soap and Continuing Drama

EastEnders

Sports Presenter, Commentator or Pundit

Gabby Logan, Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025

Sports Program

2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (Sky Sports)

Supporting Actor – Female

Anna Friel, Unforgivable

Supporting Actor – Male

Owen Cooper, Adolescence

Writer – Comedy

Kat Sadler, Such Brave Girls

Writer – Drama

Jack Thorne & Stephen Graham, Adolescence

Judges’ Award

Stephen Graham, Hannah Walters, and Matriarch Productions

Outstanding Achievement Award

Michael Palin