Sky 1 picked up the coveted channel of the year prize at last night’s Broadcast Awards in the UK– as ITV drama including Downton Abbey [pictured] stole the show.

A commitment to spend £600m a year and shows including Mad Dogs, Got to Dance and Trollied helped Sky 1 beat BBC2, BBC3, ITV1, ITV2 and Sky News to the top prize.

Judges praised the channel for a “content revolution”, which assisted in raising its viewing share by 13% year-on-year.

But ITV walked away with an armful of awards for drama hits including Downton Abbey, Appropriate Adult and Coronation Street.

The Julian Fellowes-created period drama Downton saw indie Carnival Film & Television take home two gongs, winning both Best Drama Series and Best Independent Production Company.

ITV Studios’ controversial Fred West drama Appropriate Adult, starring Dominic West opposite Emily Watson, picked up Best Single Drama, while Coronation Street reclaimed the crown for Best Soap or Continuing Drama. 

However, the BBC secured notable wins, including its in-house production for BBC3, Our War, which secured both Best Documentary Series and Best Multichannel Programme.

Judges were unanimous that this series, which included footage shot by British soldiers in Afghanistan, offered a completely new insight to life on the frontline.

Meanwhile, BBC1’s Panorama Undercover Care: The Abuse Exposed beat off competition in one of the toughest categories, to win Best Documentary Programme. 

This half-hour programme was commended for its “profound and far-reaching” impact, but judges also applauded the craftsmanship and editorial sensitivity.

BBC1 drama The Indian Doctor, made by Avatar Productions and Rondo Media, won Best Daytime Programme, while Best Sports Programme was awarded to the BBC’s coverage of the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi and BBC2 comedy drama The Trip, co-produced by Revolution Films, Baby Cow and Arbie, picked up the prize for Best New Programme.

In children’s, CBeebies animation Rastamouse, produced by Three Stones Media/The Rastamouse Company, won Best Pre-School Programme, while NickToons/ITV Global Entertainment took home Best Children’s Programme for Grizzy Tales.

Best Popular Factual Programme
Hugh’s Fish Fight
Keo Films for Channel 4

Best Documentary programme
Panorama - Undercover Care: The Abuse Exposed
BBC Productions for BBC One

International Programme Sales
Big Fat Gypsy Weddings
Zodiak Rights (Firecracker Films for Channel 4)

Best Multichannel Programme
Our War
BBC Productions for BBC Three

Best Daytime Programme
The Indian Doctor
Avatar Productions/Rondo Media for BBC One

Best Children’s Programme
Grizzly Tales
Grizzly TV for NickToons and ITV Global Entertainment

Best Documentary Series
Our War
BBC Productions for BBC Three

Best Single Drama
Appropriate Adult
ITV Studios for ITV1

Best Pre-School Programme
Rastamouse
Three Stones Media/The Rastamouse Company for CBeebies

Best Drama Series Or Serial
Downton Abbey
Carnival Film & Television for ITV1

Best News Programme
The Fall Of Tripoli
Sky News for Sky News

Best Sports Programme
F1: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
BBC Productions for BBC One

Best Entertainment Programme
Dynamo: Magician Impossible
Phil McIntyre Entertainment for Watch

Best Soap
Coronation Street
ITV Studios for ITV1

Best Music Programme
Frankenstein’s Wedding
BBC Productions for BBC Three

Best Comedy Programme
The Inbetweeners
Bwark Productions for E4

Best New Programme
The Trip
Revolution Films/Baby Cow/Arbie for BBC Two

Best Post-Production House
Molinare

Best Independent Production Company
Carnival Film & Television

Channel Of The Year
Sky1