Another accolade for Channel 4 comedy

Derry Girls has been named best comedy in this year’s South Bank Sky Arts Awards.

Katherine Ryan - pictured below arriving on the red carpet – handed out the accolade to the Channel 4 show at the Savoy Hotel in London.

It triumphed over fellow nominees Inside No. 9 and Stephen Mangan’s Hang Ups.

Sir Lenny Henry was presented with the outstanding achievement award by his Comic Relief co-founder Richard Curtis.

He said he was  ‘ecstatic’ about the honour, adding: ‘This ceremony is particularly special, as the awards celebrate the incredible spectrum of Arts that the UK has to offer. I’m very proud indeed to be honoured in this way.’

The breakthrough award – whose shortlist comprises one person from each branch of the arts celebrated – went to Chernobyl and Taboo star Jessie Buckley. Jessie Cave had been shortlisted for comedy.

Phil Edgar-Jones, director of Sky Arts said: ‘There’s never been a better time to be an artist in the UK - there’s so much that is truly gobsmackingly awful going on in the political world that the arts is a haven of sanity, empathy and incredible creativity.’

The ceremony will be broadcast on Sky Arts from 8pm  on Wednesday.

Published: 7 Jul 2019