julian_craster

British TV shows scoop Emmy awards in US
By Wesley Johnson, PA, in New York

THE INDEPENDENT
Published: 20 November 2007

British television productions won a string of International Emmy awards in New York last night, picking up seven top honours.

Oscar-winner Jim Broadbent shared the best actor award for his role in the BBC's The Street, which was also named best drama series at the ceremony at the Hilton New York hotel.
Stephen Fry's The Secret Life of a Manic Depressive scooped best documentary as BBC actors and productions left with six awards, including best arts programming, best non-scripted entertainment and best comedy series.

The 35th International Emmys recognised excellence in TV programming produced outside the US.
Former US vice president Al Gore was also honoured for his role in launching the cable/satellite channel Current TV and his efforts to sound the alarm over global warming.
Broadbent, who was nominated for his role as an embittered pensioner in the BBC's The Street, shared the best actor honour with Dutch actor Pierre Bokma.
The Street, which follows the lives of different residents of one street, was named best drama series.
In Fry's documentary, The Secret Life of the Manic Depressive, the comedian/actor talks about his own and other people's experiences of living with bipolar disorder.
Simon Schama's Power of Art: Bernini, the BBC/WNET Thirteen's work about the Baroque sculptor, was named best arts programming while the BBC's How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria scooped best non-scripted entertainment series.
The BBC's Little Britain Abroad was named best comedy.
Death of a President, by Borough Films for More 4, won best TV movie/mini-series.
Directed by Gabriel Range, it centres around the fictionalised assassination of US President George Bush.
The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences is the largest organisation of global broadcasters with more than 500 members from nearly 70 countries and over 400 companies.
After picking up his award, Fry said: "It's a lucky evening for us.
"We're lucky to have this institution, the BBC, and that's helped generations of people (in television)."
Gore, who received the Founders Award from Oscar winner Robert De Niro, said the future of democracy depended "to a surprising degree on democratising television".
"Television has had the greatest potential for educating and informing of any medium in the history of communications," he said.
British actress Victoria Wood was nominated for her role in the drama Housewife, 49, based on the real Second World War diary of a Lancashire housewife, but the award went to France's Muriel Robin.

Following is a list of winners of the 2007 International Emmy Awards as presented by the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences"

Arts programming: "Simon Schama's Power of Art: Bernini" (United Kingdom).
Best performance by an actor (tie): Pierre Bokma for "The Chosen One," (Netherlands) and Jim Broadbent for "The Street" (United Kingdom).
Best performance by an actress: Muriel Robin for "Marie Besnard - The Poisoner" (France).
Best children's and young people's program: "The Magic Tree" (Poland).
Best comedy series: "Little Britain Abroad" (United Kingdom).
Best drama series: "The Street" (United Kingdom).
Best documentary: "Stephen Fry - The Secret Life of the Manic Depressive" (United Kingdom).
Best non-scripted (reality) entertainment: "How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?" (United Kingdom).
Best TV movie/mini-series: "Death of a President" (United Kingdom).
International Children's Day of Broadcasting award: "From South to North, From East to West, Thailand ICDB-Unite for Children, Unite Against AIDS" (Thailand).
Directorate award: Patrick Le Lay
Founders Award: Al Gore (Editing by Philip Barbara)

oxfam1uk

... and I'm delighted to say that I didn't watch any of them !

Nor do I have any intention to. Non-stop misery and drearyness, especially Mr Bipolar Fry.

Seeing how the BBC receives a colossal guaranteed income, it would be surprising if it didn't make great programmes. But none of these shows appeals to me at all !

Now where's my "Professionals" DVD set ? ...

Steve Crook

That's a shame, you're really missing out by not seeing Stephen Fry's documentary. It wasn't at all miserable or dreary. It was life enhancing.

It's a worthy winner of the Best Documentary prize

Steve

christoph404

I agree,the Stephen Fry documentary was brilliant, Fry has an honest and frank quality about him which makes him very watchable and likeable, the programme thoroughly deserves the recognition it received.

batman

I will second that, Steve. It was a really interesting and very moving programme.

Bats.

DB7

I find Little Britain more miss than hit, and oddly enough already looking quite dated.

dremble wedge

And I'll third it.

oxfam1uk

I'll admit that documentaries about mental illness are necessary and educational. But I'm afraid Stephen Fry gets on my nerves (probably my fault).

I sense that, like Rowan Atkinson and Woody Allen, he is one of those "comedians" who are only really happy when lying on a psychiatrist's couch, talking about themselves.

I heard good things about that Victoria Wood drama, though, so I might get around to seeing it.

willothewisp

I'm also surprised Little Britain Abroad won best comedy.
I'm normally a fan but thought it was awful.

Steve Crook

Far from it. He gets embarrassed when asked to talk about himself. The special evening they did to celebrate his 50th birthday included an interview with Mark Lawson and Stephen couldn't stop squirming and twitching.

You really should try watching some of the things he's done

First, he's not a "comedian", although he did that very well in A Bit of Fry and Laurie. He's not even mainly a comic actor, although he did that very well in Blackadder Goes Forth. He's also a very good "straight" actor. His performance in Wilde was a marvel to behold. It was the role he was born to play. But I would say that he's mainly a writer, of various novels as well as his autobiography and a few films, plays and musicals. He's an "all round, good egg" a doer of good works and a bit of a genius

Steve

oxfam1uk

So you're a fan, then?

We'll have to agree to differ about him !

Steve Crook

I'm amazed that everyone isn't.
We have yet to discover if there's anything that he can't do.

Steve

dremble wedge

He can't rap, I remember him trying to do so on Who's Line Is It Anyway some years ago and failing abjectly.

Of course that isn't necessarily a bad thing...

stevie boy

I see the Street got an award and Jim Broadbent was superb in it last year. The new series has not grabbed me like the first one but there is time ,I suppose, for it to improve.

Steve Crook

I would say that's a definite advantage.
Rap just lets people with no talent think they're artistic.
Now I have no objection to letting everyone express themselves, but why inflict it on the rest of us? Very, very occasionally, someone does do something good in that style. But the rest of it is just absolute ©rap

Stephen Fry can't dance either. He is worse then the worst Dad or Uncle dancing at a family wedding

Steve