RTS Northern Ireland reveal TV award 2024 nominees

The Royal Television Society, Northern Ireland (RTS NI) is delighted to reveal the nominees shortlisted for this year’s prestigious Television Awards, with headline sponsor Ka-Boom. The winners will be announced at the 9^th RTS NI Awards ceremony which takes place on Thursday 14 November at the Titanic Belfast.

Sarah McCaffrey, Chair of RTS NI:

“We are delighted to announce that we will be presenting 18 prestigious awards this November to celebrate the amazing wealth of home-grown talent working in Northern Ireland. With new awards for writing, acting, post-production and those breaking into the industry, along with a very special Hidden Hero Award this year, all our 64 finalists are great examples of the outstanding content being produced in Northern Ireland which is enjoyed by audiences worldwide. I wish all those shortlisted every success on the night.”

The RTS NI Awards 2024 are partnered by BBC Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland Screen and Channel 4 with headline sponsor Ka-Boom.  The Awards Ceremony will be held in Titanic Belfast on Thursday 14 November, 2024.

The RTS NI Awards 2024 finalists… 

Actor – Female – sponsored by Panavision Belfast

• Hannah McClean – Blue Lights – Two Cities TV & Gallagher Films for BBC
• Ruth Wilson – The Woman in the Wall – Motive Pictures for BBC & Showtime
• Roisin Gallagher – The Lovers – Drama Republic for Sky Atlantic
• Thaddea Graham – The Wreck – Euston Films and Fremantle Media for BBC Three

 Actor – Male

• Paddy Jenkins – Blue Lights – Two Cities TV & Gallagher Films for BBC
• Daryl McCormack – The Woman in the Wall – Motive Pictures for BBC & Showtime
• Simon Delaney – The Woman in the Wall – Motive Pictures for BBC & Showtime
• Johnny Flynn – The Lovers – Drama Republic for Sky Atlantic

 Drama – sponsored by Yellowmoon

• The Woman in the Wall – Motive Pictures for BBC & Showtime
• Breathtaking – HTM Television for ITV
• The Lovers – Drama Republic for Sky Atlantic
• Blue Lights – Two Cities TV & Gallagher Films for BBC

Breakthrough Award (On-screen and Off-screen) sponsored by Shoot Communications   

• Ella Maisy Purvis – A Kind of Spark – 9 Story Media Group for BBC
• Sarah Cummings, Quiz Question Researcher – Mastermind and The Finish Line – Nice One Productions
• Bamber Todd, Actor, The Heist Before Christmas – SHUK & Calico Pictures for Sky Max
• James Blake – Presenter, Hunting the Catfish Crime Gang – Strident Media for BBC Three and BBC Northern Ireland

Children’s / Animation – sponsored by Millar McCall Wylie

• Silverpoint – Zodiak Kids & Family Productions UK for BBC & ZDF
• Sullivan Sails – Alt Animation & Distillery Films for RTÉ
• A Kind of Spark (S2) – 9 Story Media Group for BBC
• ODO – Mum – Sixteen South & Letko for Kika

 Current Affairs

• Spotlight – Blood on the Dance Floor for BBC Northern Ireland
• Spotlight – I Spy for BBC Northern Ireland
• BBC News – Sectarianism Next Door for BBC
• Jailed: Inside Maghaberry Prison – Third Street Studios for BBC Northern Ireland

 Documentary – Singles sponsored by Queen’s University Belfast    

• The Secret Army – BBC Northern Ireland
• Taking Back Control – Fine Point Films for RTÉ
• Lyra – Erica Starling Productions for Channel 4 / TG4
• Murder of a GAA Chairman – Fine Point Films for RTÉ

 Documentaries – Series – sponsored by Ulster Screen Academy 

• The Year that Rocked Irish Dancing – BBC Northern Ireland
• Once Upon a Time in Northern Ireland – Keo Films & Walk on Air Films for BBC Two and BBC Northern Ireland
• The Crime I Can’t Forget: The Search for a Serial Killer – Rare TV & Green Inc for BBC Northern Ireland
• House of Paisley – Walk on Air Films for BBC Northern Ireland

 Entertainment & Comedy – sponsored by City Air Express

• Celebrity Mastermind – Hindsight & Hat Trick Productions for BBC
• Gradam Ceoil – Big Mountain Productions for TG4
• The 2 Johnnies Late Night Lock In – Green Inc Film & TV for RTÉ
• Darren & Joe’s Rugby Bandwagon – Green Inc Film & TV for RTÉ

 Factual Entertainment – sponsored by Abbas Law Media

• Britain’s Most Expensive Houses – Waddell Media for Channel 4
• High Road, Low Road (S3) – Green Inc Film & TV for RTÉ
• Fast and the Farmerish (S2) – Alleycats for BBC Three
• Coronation Tailors: Fit for a King – Waddell Media for BBC 2

 Lifestyle and Features

• The Chronicles of Belfast – Waddell Media for BBC
• Big Money Munch – Afro-Mic Productions for My5 / BET
• The Peninsula Nurses – Tyrone Productions for BBC Northern Ireland
• Restoration Rescue – Below the Radar for BBC Northern Ireland

 News Coverage, sponsored by DWF Law Belfast

• BBC Newsline – The Arrest of Sir Jeffrey Donaldson for BBC Northern Ireland
• BBC Newsline – Lough Neagh Day for BBC Northern Ireland
• UTV Live – Price of Perfection News Special for UTV
• UTV Live – John Caldwell Shooting for UTV

 Original Music Score – sponsored by The Nerve   

• The Woman in the Wall – David Holmes and Brian Irvine – Motive Pictures for BBC & Showtime
• Lyra – David Holmes – Erica Starling Productions for Channel 4 / TG4
• Isadora Moon – Score Draw Music – Kelebek Media for Sky Kids
• Insomnia – Hannah Peel – Left Bank Pictures for Paramount Plus

 Post-Production – sponsored by ScreenSkills High-end TV Fund

• Silverpoint Season 2 – Enter Yes for Zodiak Kids UK
• Pitch Invasion: How the Scottish and Irish Changed Football – Doubleband Films for BBC Northern Ireland and BBC Scotland
• Ukraine Holocaust Ground Zero – Doubleband Films for Channel 4
• The Shamrock Tenors – St Patrick’s Night Concert – Walsh Entertainment for BBC Northern Ireland

 Specialist Factual

• Rúin nabPortach / Secrets in the Peat – Below the Radar for BBC Northern Ireland
• My Name is Ottilie – Doubleband Films for BBC Northern Ireland & BBC Four
• Ukraine: Holocaust Ground Zero – Doubleband Films for Channel 4
• House of Paisley – Walk on Air Films for BBC Northern Ireland

 Writer – sponsored by ScreenSkills High-end TV Fund

• Hope Street (S2 Ep7) – Christine Murphy – Long Story TV for BBC / Britbox
• The Lovers – David Ireland – Drama Republic for Sky Atlantic
• Blue Lights – Declan Lawn, Adam Patterson, Bronagh Taggart and Noel McCann for Two Cities TV & Gallagher Films for BBC
• The Woman in the Wall – Joe Murtagh – Motive Pictures for BBC & Showtime

 The winners of the Hidden Hero Award, sponsored by ScreenSkills High-end TV Fund and the Brian Waddell Award for Outstanding Contribution to the industry, sponsored by Ka-Boom will be announced on the night. Judging in each category was carried out independently by an experienced panel of judges.

Zach Willis, Co-Founder, Ka-Boom, headline sponsor of the RTS NI Awards:

“Once again Ka-Boom is delighted to support the RTS NI Awards. We look forward to recognising the best of the best at the awards ceremony in November.”

Georgia Parkinson, Chair of RTS NI Awards:

“As an educational charity, the RTS NI Awards are now in their 9^th year and the judging panels commented on the particularly high standard across all categories this year.  We look forward to celebrating the achievements of our people and our productions at our glittering awards ceremony which will take place at the wonderful Titanic Belfast on Thursday 14 November, as part of the Belfast Media Festival.”