Harry Hill in repeat Bafta triumph as 'Bill' nabs its first award

Published on Monday 27 April 2009 01:40

HARRY Hill ensured that Jonathan Ross last night missed out on a TV Bafta, while naturalist Sir David Attenborough picked up an award for the first time in ten years, nearly half a century after winning his first.

Controversial chat show host Ross was shortlisted in the entertainment performance category – which was won by Hill for Harry Hill's TV Burp for the second year in a row.

Ross, 48, was nominated for his Friday night show despite being taken off the air for 12 weeks last year for his part in the Andrew Sachs obscene phone calls scandal.

The Bafta jury instead went for 44-year-old Hill's weekly madcap run through TV highlights and lowlights. Accepting the award, Hill said: "I never thought I would win three Baftas for a clips show."

The Bill, meanwhile, beat EastEnders, Casualty and Emmerdale to the continuing drama trophy, much to its star Lisa Maxwell's delight, earning the ITV police show its first Bafta in 25 years.

The X Factor won the entertainment programme Bafta, beating Hill's show, QI and the Friday and Sunday Night Projects.

Sir David walked off with the specialist factual Bafta for Life in Cold Blood – the eighth time he and his wildlife programmes have been honoured at the awards. The 82-year-old naturalist won his first Bafta in 1961.

The awards were hosted by Graham Norton at London's Royal Festival Hall.