The South Bank Sky Arts Awards 2019 have been handed out and hit C4 series Derry Girls has picked up the Comedy prize.
Artists from right across the spectrum of British culture were honoured for their achievements this year. Sir Lenny Henry was awarded with the coveted Outstanding Achievement Award presented by Richard Curtis. Following an incredible year, rising star Jessie Buckley was named winner of The Times Breakthrough Award, presented by Charles Dance. Comedian Jessie Cave was a nominee in this category.
Lily Allen won the Pop award for her album No Shame, while The Favourite triumphed in the Film category. English National Ballet was victorious with Playlist (Track 1,2) in the Dance category, while Derry Girls took home the Comedy accolade. The other comedy nominees were Inside No. 9 and Hang Ups.
Other winners at the awards included Stephen Daldry’s production of The Inheritance in the Theatre category, English National Opera’s Porgy and Bess for Opera, Pages of the Sea by Danny Boyle for Visual Art, A Very English Scandal for TV Drama and The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra’s Debussy Festival for Classical Music.
Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith presented the TV Drama award and Katherine Ryan presented the Comedy award.
Outstanding Achievement Award winner Sir Lenny Henry said: “I’m ecstatic to receive the Outstanding Achievement Award at the South Bank Sky Arts Awards. 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 South Bank Sky Arts Awards 2019 will air on Wednesday 10 July at 8pm on Sky Arts, the UK’s only TV channel dedicated to arts, music and culture.
Full List of Winners
THEATRE
Presented by: Jamael Westman
The Inheritance
Young Vic and Noël Coward Theatre
POP
Presented by: Mica Paris
Lily Allen, No Shame
DANCE
Presented by: Russell Maliphant
Playlist (Track 1,2)
By William Forsythe
English National Ballet
OPERA
Presented by: Joseph Calleja
Porgy and Bess
English National Opera
LITERATURE
Presented by: Benjamin Zephaniah
Diana Evans: Ordinary People
COMEDY
Presented by: Katherine Ryan
Derry Girls
Hat Trick Productions / Channel 4
VISUAL ART
Presented by: Polly Morgan
Danny Boyle, Pages of the Sea
14-18 NOW
FILM
Presented by: Himesh Patel
The Favourite
TV DRAMA
Presented by: Steve Pemberton & Reece Shearsmith
A Very English Scandal
Blueprint Pictures/BBC One
CLASSICAL MUSIC
Presented by: Jess Gillam
Debussy Festival
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
THE TIMES BREAKTHROUGH AWARD
Presented by: Charles Dance
Jessie Buckley
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Presented by: Richard Curtis
Sir Lenny Henry
