The Stage

Branagh named best actor at Broadcasting Press Guild Awards

Published Friday 27 March 2009 at 11:48 by Matthew Hemley

Kenneth Branagh’s performance in the BBC1 drama Wallander has earned him the title of best actor at this year’s Broadcasting Press Guild Awards.

Branagh beat David Tennant and Ben Wishaw to win the award, which will be presented at a ceremony at the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane today.

The ceremony will also see Andrea Riseborough pick up the award for best actress for her performances in both BBC4’s The Long Walk to Finchley and Channel 4’s The Devil’s Whore, which have been named best single drama and best drama series respectively.

Meanwhile, BBC1 comedy Outnumbered is the winner in the best comedy/entertainment category - beating Gavin and Stacey, Harry Hill’s TV Burp and Wallace and Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death - while Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin are to collect the award for best writers for their work on the show.

The pair faced competition from Andrew Davies, who was nominated for his adaptations of Little Dorrit, Sense and Sensibility and Affinity, and Peter Flannery, who was nominated for his work on The Devil’s Whore.

Elsewhere, The Long Walk to Finchley has been named best mutlichannel programme, beating E4’s Dead Set and BBC4’s Hughie Green Most Sincerely.

Overall, the BBC has won 12 of the 15 prizes.

The Broadcasting Press Guild Awards, now in their 35th year, are voted for by journalists who write about television.