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Line of Duty scoops award for best TV drama

Christine Bleakley, Philip McGovern and Jane Kelly pictured at The Royal Television Society Awards in Belfast last night. Picture by Declan Roughan
Christine Bleakley, Philip McGovern and Jane Kelly pictured at The Royal Television Society Awards in Belfast last night. Picture by Declan Roughan Christine Bleakley, Philip McGovern and Jane Kelly pictured at The Royal Television Society Awards in Belfast last night. Picture by Declan Roughan

POPULAR TV drama The Fall was pipped to the post by Line of Duty for the award of best TV drama last night at a ceremony to recognise Northern Ireland's best TV programmes.

The Royal Television Society's inaugural Northern Ireland awards saw Line of Duty, the hit police and crime drama, come out on top in the mostly keenly contested award, against both The Fall, starring Jamie Dornan, and 37 Days, a documentary drama covering the weeks prior to the outbreak of World War I.

Meanwhile, the BBC's Spotlight programme won best current affairs programme for their coverage of how the republican movement handled allegations by Mairia Cahill of sex abuse against her by an IRA member.

UTV Live Tonight scooped the award for best news coverage, while ROAD, telling the story of two generations of the Dunlop family's passion for road racing, was awarded best single documentary.

A host of television personalities, including Christine Bleakley, were in attendance for the awards ceremony, held in The Mac in Belfast.

Presented by veteran journalist and broadcaster John Sergeant, there were awards in nine categories in total.

Richard Williams, chief executive of Northern Ireland Screen, which helps develop the north's TV and film sector, received a special award from judges for his contribution to the industry.