HBO and Sky Atlantic’s breakout limited drama series Chernobyl was the big winner at last night’s Rose d’Or awards in London, claiming two prizes. The surprise success of 2019, Chernobyl took home the prestigious Golden Rose trophy and was also named best drama at the event, which was hosted by actor, comedian and diversity campaigner Sir Lenny Henry.
Telling the inside story of the 1986 nuclear power plant disaster, the five-parter was made by Sister Pictures, The Mighty Mint and Word Games.
Elsewhere, comedic actor Ricky Gervais won the Performance of the Year award for his role in Netflix series After Life, which has been greenlit for a second season.
Winners were drawn from seven different countries, with Globo’s Brazilian drama Orphans of a Nation triumphing in the Soap or Telenovela category, NRK Norway’s ZombieLars taking home the Children and Youth award and NPO3 Netherlands’ Swipe being handed the Social Media Video Series award.
Canadian pubcaster the CBC and Winnipeg prodco Frantic Films won the comedy prize for Baroness Von Sketch Show, while BBC2 and Warner Bros-owned Ricochet in the UK won the Reality and Factual Entertainment trophy for The Repair Shop.
The Studio Entertainment category was won by the BBC’s Michael McIntyre’s Big Show, while 13 Minutes to the Moon took home the Audio Entertainment prize.
A jury of more than 70 leading industry professionals from around the world, chaired by Swedish actor Sofia Helin (The Bridge), voted for a range of titles across 10 categories.
For the first time in its 58-year history, the Rose d’Or Awards was held in London, having previously been held in Swiss town Montreux from its inception in 1961 until it moved to Berlin in 2014.