Conchords Take Flight at RTS Awards

'Conchords' take flight at RTS awards

Good night for BBC at Brit kudofest
By STEVE CLARKE

LONDON — Cult HBO sitcom “Flight Of The Conchords” saw off stiff competition from “Ugly Betty” and “Heroes” to clinch the international prize at the Royal Television Society’s program awards.

The kudofest, held March 19 at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel, was a good night for the BBC overall – “Flight Of The Conchords” airs on upscale niche web BBC4 in Blighty – as the pubcaster took the lion’s share of the 27 awards.

Among the Corp’s tally was the writer-drama award for Heidi Thomas, who provided the script for the much acclaimed BBC1 costume saga “Cranford,” the single drama award for “Stuart: A Life Backwards,” co-prod’d with HBO, and the drama series award for BBC1’s “The Street”.

Accepting the prize for “The Street” executive producer Sita Williams dedicated the trophy to Anthony Minghella, who died unexpectedly earlier this week. Channel 4 also left the ceremony with a clutch of gongs. These included best drama serial for “Britz;” the controversial show created by Peter Kosminsky about a British suicide bomber, while thesp Matthew Macfadyen was voted best actor for his portrayal of a paedophile in “Secret Life.”

It was not a great night for ITV, but the battling terrestrial web did win the actor – female award thanks to Sally Hawkins role in the web’s adaptation of Jane Austen’s “Persuasion.”

ITV also scooped the award for entertainment performance thanks to “Harry Hill’s TV Burp.”

Sir David Attenborough, whose recent skein, “Life In Cold Blood,” marked the culmination of a cycle of natural history blockbusters that began with “Life On Earth,” won the lifetime achievement award.