WINNERS AND FINALISTS l THE BREWERY l l 4 JULY 2018 l Congratulations to all the nominees and winners of the Broadcast Digital Awards Stay creative, be inspired and excite your audience with over 500,000 tracks.

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HAS THERE EVER been such breadth of award-winning content? The Broadcast Digital Awards are a With a leap in quality in celebration of excellence across the short-form the piece, with a double win for the categories, the innovative Beano Studios, and well-deserved success for world of digital content has the likes of Nat Geo, Channel 5, Eurosport and MTV. never looked Of course, the powerhouses have performed well: Love healthier Island was something of a shoo-in as Best Programme and BBC Three has proved itself the dominant channel in this space, winning Best Factual Channel, Best Entertainment Channel and (almost inevitably) Channel of the Year. But there is also recognition for the beautifully crafted sleeper hit that is ’ Portrait Artist Of The Year and for Save Me, which feels like a breakthrough series for in terms of critical acclaim and a feeling of authentic British drama. Add in a leap in quality in the short-form categories, where the likes of HuffPo, Comedy Central, Snapchat and TrueTube are well represented, and the world of digital content has never looked healthier.

Chris Curtis Editor

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Broadcast Editor Chris Curtis Supplement Editor Jesse Whittock Production Editor Dominic Needham Art Editor Abi Hardwick Contributors Alex Farber, Max Goldbart, Jessica Goodfellow, Robin Parker, Manori Ravindran Senior Sales Manager Talia Levine Senior Account Manager Richard Hewes Head of Events Dee Adeosun Events & Digital Marketing Manager Louise Lenzi Event Executive Fran Rodrigues

BROADCASTNOW.CO.UK Broadcast DIGITAL AWARDS 2018 | 3 CONTENTS

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CATEGORIES 05 BEST ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAMME 06 BEST SHORT-FORM DOCUMENTARY 07 BEST SPECIALIST CHANNEL 08 BEST CONTENT PARTNERSHIP OR AFP 09 BEST FACTUAL CHANNEL 10 BEST SPORTS OR LIVE EVENT COVERAGE 11 BEST DIGITAL SUPPORT FOR A STRAND, CHANNEL OR GENRE 20 12 BEST SHORT-FORM COMEDY 13 BEST DIGITAL SUPPORT FOR A PROGRAMME 14 BEST SHORT-FORM FORMAT 15 BEST COMEDY PROGRAMME 16 METHODOLOGY & JUDGES 18 BEST POPULAR FACTUAL PROGRAMME 19 BEST DOCUMENTARY PROGRAMME 21 26 20 BEST DIGITAL CHILDREN’S CONTENT 21 BEST ENTERTAINMENT CHANNEL 23 BEST SHORT-FORM DRAMA 25 BEST VR EXPERIENCE 26 BEST PROGRAMME ACQUISITION 27 BEST DRAMA PROGRAMME 29 BEST ORIGINAL WEB CHANNEL 30 CHANNEL OF THE YEAR 27 30

4 | Broadcast DIGITAL AWARDS 2018 BROADCASTNOW.CO.UK BEST ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAMME

SHORTLISTED CELEBABILITY Potato for ITV2 Positioned as a support series for flagship Love Island, CelebAbility was ITV2’s highest- rating debut series of 2017, averaging 504,000 with a 3% share across the six weeks. Hosted by Iain Stirling, the voice of Love Island, the celebrity gameshow triumphed with younger viewers, with 62% of its audience aged 16-34.

CELEBS GO DATING Lime Pictures for E4 The fourth series of Lime Pictures’ fixed-rig dating format nearly doubled E4’s average timeslot share for the young demographic, with 16-34s representing 48% of its audi- ence across the series. A shake-up of the format, with former lovers reunited and the finale shot in Cape Verde, helped it grow its audience by 36% from series three.

JUST TATTOO OF US Gobstopper for MTV UK In MTV’s unique take on the well-trodden path of dating series, couples tattooed each other with outrageous designs, including LOVE ISLAND tampons, exes’ faces and condoms. Tapping into tattooing, a popular trend among young ITV Studios and Motion Content Group for ITV2 viewers, the series reduced the average age of the MTV audience from 32 to 28 and quickly become one of MTV’s top four shows T IS NO SURPRISE that the judges branded the return alongside , Ex On The Beach of ITV2’s dating series “the entertainment moment of and The Valleys. I2017”. For seven weeks in summer last year, the third TASKMASTER series of Love Island dominated the TV schedule, water- Super- Avalon Television for Dave cooler conversations and social media. The press was ambitious The alternative gameshow from Greg Davies ablaze with gossip on the contestants, while 4 million and Alex Horne continued to be one of tweets generated throughout the run made Love Island production Dave’s big hitters, up 167% against the the most talked-about show on Twitter in 2017. schedule, slot average in its fifth series, peaking with genius casting 875,000 as a host of new celebrities per- A string of twists – including the introduction of a second formed silly tasks to impress the Taskmaster. villa – maintained a constant stream of drama, coupled and brilliant A hybrid of competition, reality and comedy, with the humour and wit of Iain Stirling’s voiceover. editing the Avalon format embodies the tone, The series, in which a group of single contestants couple character and voice of the Dave channel. up to be in with the chance of winning £50,000, also UNSPUN WITH MATT FORDE featured a cameo appearance from grime star Stormzy. Avalon Television for Dave The stripped series was a ratings success, with the The fourth series of Avalon’s satirical show, live final pulling in 3.1 million viewers – ITV2’s biggest in which comedian Matt Forde gives his take audience since 2012. Its series average of 2.5 million on the week’s politics, broke new ground was up by 1 million from the last series, and lifted when it secured an interview with former Donald Trump aide Anthony Scaramucci ITV2’s slot average by 1.9 million. – its most high-profile interview yet. The fast- It was the most-watched programme ever on ITV Hub, turnaround series picked up a consolidated with 25% of overall viewing taking place via catch-up. average of 167,600 across its run. Crucially, the series delivered the channel’s biggest share of 16-34s, who made up 56% of its audience. One judge concluded: “The total package that this programme delivers should be applauded and acknowl- edged. Super-ambitious production schedule, genius casting and brilliant editing.”

BROADCASTNOW.CO.UK Broadcast DIGITAL AWARDS 2018 | 5 BEST SHORT-FORM DOCUMENTARY

HIGHLY COMMENDED SEX MAP OF BRITAIN: DESPERATELY SEEKING SEMEN BBC Studios for BBC Three A Highly Commended for Desperately Seeking Semen reflects the judges’ view that this was an impressive piece of film-making. Following a lesbian couple buying semen from unregu- lated ‘black-market’ donors with their own, often odd, reasons for donating their sperm, it had amazing access to its contributors’ secret lives and featured some astonishing interviews over an extended period. The series, which has been recommissioned by the BBC, proved to be one of the channel’s best performers on YouTube, with individual episodes racking up 1.2 million views. SHORTLISTED GENERATION TRUMP CC-Lab for BBC Three These 3 x 3-minute films were commissioned by BBC Three’s Facebook page to take big topics and cover them though the eyes of three young Americans rather than the pro- fessional news lens. The aim of the series was to ‘be on the shoulder of the action’. AMBULANCE: DIFFICULT LABOUR Three different people with very different takes on being part of Generation Trump BBC Three for BBC Three drove the narrative, with core footage recorded on iPhones. The three episodes achieved a combined reach of 1.3 million. HE WINNER of this category packed a dramatic SECOND INNINGS punch in the four minutes and 21 seconds of its Guardian in-house for theguardian.com T running time. One judge said: “This is a great The judges recognised the craft in the film- example of storytelling in a short format that was This is a great making of Second Innings. In an atmosphere perfectly optimised for social.” example of of hostility towards refugees, it tells the story The doc captured the moment when Nat, a paramedic storytelling of a cricket club tucked away in suburban from the West Midlands Ambulance Service, assisted a south London, which has become a kid of surrogate family for Afghani refugee kids, woman in labour during a difficult birth at home.It was in a short format that who have fled the war in their homeland but the first time a birthhad featured on a BBC social become separated from their parents. media account. Mum Ionela had previously given birth was perfectly to a stillborn baby and Nat had her own experience of optimised WHAT DO YOU MEAN CAN’T complications in labour, which had left her daughter CHANGE THE WORLD? for social CTVC for TrueTube.co.uk Jessica disabled due to oxygen starvation. The film TrueTube produces short documentaries, demonstrated a human bond between the two that drama and animation and provides the went much deeper than paramedic and patient. content free to schools worldwide. It sets The doc was edited from the final cut of indie out to make films that inspire young people Dragonfly’sfirst episodeof BBC One series Ambulance to become citizens who engage with politics and fight for social justice. This short tells and additionally shot material of Nat meeting mother the story of Jemmar, a black working-class and baby at home following the successful delivery. student from south London who grew up with The video went viral, with 22.4 million views – rock-bottom self-esteem, desperate to change almost 7 million in the UK – and was shared by 121,000 the way she looked. It follows the journey users and liked by more than 400,000. that restores her confidence and sees her “Although it was cut from an existing TV show’s become an activist for greater diversity in depictions of beauty in fashion and media. footage, the producer managed to create a standalone short story,” said one judge. “It was a powerful and thought-provoking piece that had you gripped through- out. Great content for the platform,” said another.

6 | Broadcast DIGITAL AWARDS 2018 BROADCASTNOW.CO.UK BEST SPECIALIST CHANNEL

SHORTLISTED BEANO The digital channel has been pushing to transform itself from a nostalgia brand into an entertainment powerhouse for older kids and teens. According to the judges, it has succeeded. The studio had a banner year, with its first show, Dennis & Gnasher: Unleashed, launching on CBBC in November 2017, and it maintained a constant delivery of fresh content, including original scripted comedy and top 10 lists.

CBBC The channel for kids aged six to 12 pushed the boundaries like never before, challenging its audience with dramas such as Creeped Out, The Dumping Ground and The Worst Witch. Meanwhile, factual content reigned supreme, with a number of live events – such as Steve Backshall scaling a mighty Swiss mountain – playing well across social media.

CBEEBIES The pre-school channel had several high- lights in the theatrical arena, including Goldilocks And The Three Bears with the Northern Ballet and The Tempest, which SKY ARTS introduced Shakespeare to children who may not get the opportunity to go to the theatre. Much-loved shows such as Hey HE JUDGES deemed Sky Arts a “clear winner” Duggee, Swashbuckle and Go Jetters thanks to “bold risk-taking and genuinely went from strength to strength. innovative commissioning”. T CRIME + INVESTIGATION The 24-hour channel, which also won the category An astonishing Despite smaller budgets and a less prominent last year, again impressed the judges with its bold mix range and EPG position than its competitors, C+I has of arts programming across a range of genres. quality of retained and grown a loyal audience. The While established favourites such as Landscape and channel focused on bringing new faces Portrait Artist Of The Year are on their third and programming to the brand, and had a major hit on its fourth series respectively – with Portrait Artist drawing and a great hands with the Jo Frost-fronted Britain’s Killer an average audience of 379,000 each week – the example of Kids, which attracted a lot of coverage and generated widespread debate. channel broke through with runaway hit Urban Myths, what can be a collection of films taking a comedic look at events that done with a WALTER PRESENTS may or may not have happened. Eddie Marsan, David specialist ’s foreign-language drama service Threlfall, Ben Chaplin and Noel Clarke were among the channel expanded its boundaries with international Great British talent who starred in the series. acquisitions such as Mexican crime drama Mr Avila and Chilean drug-smuggling thriller Other programming standouts on the channel – which Fugitives. Meanwhile, Norwegian drama has a weekly reach of 1 million and a monthly reach of Young & Promising appealed to a younger 5.5 million – included the Passions strand, which demographic. Overall, Walter Presents’ follows celebrities uncovering the lives of their heroes, catalogue grew from 32 titles from 13 and Tate Britain’s Great British Walks, which featured countries to 64 from 20. the likes of Michael Sheen and Myriam Margolyes walking in the footsteps of their favourite artists. Sky Arts also commissioned four virtual reality pieces to support its Royal Academy documentary, and launched Art 50, inviting artists to submit work that examines what it means to be British in a post-Brexit world. One judge described Sky Arts’ slate as an “astonishing range and quality of programming” and a “great example of what can be done with a specialist channel”.

BROADCASTNOW.CO.UK Broadcast DIGITAL AWARDS 2018 | 7 BEST CONTENT PARTNERSHIP OR AFP

SHORTLISTED ALL STAR DRIVING SCHOOL Rumpus Media for Suzuki and E4 Celebrities were put to the test in this 15 x 30-minute reality series that seamlessly integrated Suzuki’s Ignis model into the driving crash course. Well-known Channel 4 faces and social media stars were taught to drive in the Suzuki car in a bid to put the model on the radar of young drivers. The results were impressive: each episode averaged 430,000 viewers, 20% above the E4 slot average, while sales of the car were up 5%.

GFINITY ELITE SERIES Noah Media Group and Gfi nity for Gfi nity and Eleven Sports Gfi nity recruited Noah Media Group to produce its eSports tournament, the Elite Series, in which professional eSports teams compete in three popular games. The measure of success for this venture was that it was picked up by broadcast partners. Season one was broadcast on Eleven Sports and BBC Three, BT Sport picked up season three and Facebook acquired season four.

MY ICON: RAINBOW LACES POSITIVE ENERGY for Stonewall and Sky Sports Mix Renegade Pictures for Shell and National Geographic Sky Sports joined the TeamPride coalition of organisations, businesses and brands that supported Stonewall’s Rainbow Laces N A BID to shift perceptions about the 100-year-old campaign in 2016. To shine a light on LGBT brand and showcase its desire for cleaner energy inclusion and equality in sport, Sky Sports Mix broadcast a Rainbow Laces special of its solutions, Shell teamed up with National Geographic to I My Icon format, consisting of seven interviews produce the channel’s fi rst energy-neutral documentary. This was bold, with LGBT athletes. Sky Sports’ campaign A globally recognised oil and gas brand, Shell wanted innovative led to more than 840,000 unique views on to address misconceptions that it is a one-dimensional Rainbow Laces-related digital content. company. At the campaign’s core was the ambition not just and brave THE SECRETS IN MY FAMILY to tell the story of sustainability, but to put it into practice. programming with great Boundless for Ancestry and W In National Geographic, it found a partner that shared Ancestry’s new DNA testing technology the same values of global conservation, a broadcaster outcomes formed the bedrock of this genealogy series, known for shining a light on environmental issues. all round in which 18 people attempted to track down In the three-part series, Dallas Campbell and Kari missing family members. Landing The One Byron travelled the globe meeting the innovators that Show’s Alex Jones as host was a major coup for W and the six-part series led to a 68% are creating more sustainable ways to power the world. uplift in brand awareness for Ancestry DNA. Positive Energy formed part of a wider campaign between Shell and National Geographic that included VOLTAROL – BRITAIN BY BIKE 60-second videos on Facebook and Twitter, takeovers Elephant House Studios for Voltarol on Snapchat and three sponsored articles on the and Channel 5 The premise of this four-part series was to National Geographic website. speak to two target audiences – younger The documentary and TV campaign were viewed by men and seniors – together. To do this, the 36 million people in Shell’s target markets, with the pain-relieving brand recruited 70-year-old digital campaign reaching an additional 20 million. Larry Lamb and his 38-year-old TV presenter Judges praised the authenticity of the collaboration, son George Lamb to tour Britain on bikes. It was one of Channel 5’s top fi ve shows in which they said was a “gamechanger” in redefi ning the weeks it aired, with more than 1 million brand partnerships. viewers per episode. “This was bold, innovative and brave programming with great outcomes all round,” said one judge.

8 | Broadcast DIGITAL AWARDS 2018 BROADCASTNOW.CO.UK BEST FACTUAL CHANNEL

SHORTLISTED BBC FOUR It was another strong year for Cassian Harrison’s arts-focused channel, which received plaudits for its major seasons on Japanese culture and Gay Britannia. Other successes included a broadcast of Ken Burns’ The Vietnam War documentary and three-part The Ruth Ellis Files, which was box-setted, demonstrating a continued commitment to experimentation.

HISTORY CHANNEL Against a backdrop of pay-TV decline, A+E Networks’ History channel enjoyed a 5% ratings’ increase, helped by the attachment of some big-name, on-screen talent to its programming. Game Of Thrones’ Alfie Allen fronted Football: A Brief History, snooker star Ronnie O’Sullivan kicked off his American Hustle series and the channel’s acquisitions continued to be strong.

QUEST Discovery-owned Quest’s focus on hobby TV and craftsmanship ramped up to great success over 2017, doubling down on the hits and identifying fresh gems. Originals BBC THREE like the Drew Pritchard-fronted Salvage Hunters and Combat Dealers continued to perform well, while Slider told the inspira- HE BBC’s fast-growing online-only channel has tional story of Paralympian Micky Yule, who scooped yet another gong, this time in the factual lost both his legs in Afghanistan. Tarena, reflecting its growing output and the critical acclaim it has received since moving online two years ago. Its liberation One judge commented on how the innovation of the Damian Kavanagh-led channel appeals to the target from the 16-34 audience, while another said its liberation from the traditional “traditional TV schedules” had led to “stunning results”. TV schedules Factual content has driven a doubling in the channel’s has led to reach among 16-34s, growing to 7.9% by late 2017 from stunning a 3.5% benchmark when it first went online. results Some of the channel’s highlights this year included Reggie Yates-fronted hard-hitting doc series Drugsland (pictured), which focused on the Bristol drug scene, and Life And Death Row. Both were produced by BBC Studios. The Bafta-winning Murdered For Being Different told the story of Sophie Lancaster, killed by a gang in Lanca- shire 10 years ago, while Stacey Dooley was as prolific as ever, fronting nine docs throughout the year. The powerful Sex, Drugs & Murder, which was filmed over a year in the legalised red-light district of Holbeck in Leeds, was released once a month and proved immensely successful. In the fact-ent space, the Wolverhampton-based Junior Doctors: Blood, Sweat And Tears showed the extreme challenges faced by new medical professionals, while a long-form series of dating format Eating With My Ex was ordered after a hugely popular short-form pilot, taking advantage of the channel’s £10m fact-ent spending boost.

BROADCASTNOW.CO.UK Broadcast DIGITAL AWARDS 2018 | 9 BEST SPORTS AND LIVE EVENT COVERAGE

SHORTLISTED 100 WOMEN in-house for Sky News and Twitter Positioned as a lively, intelligent debate across TV and social platforms, Sky News’ project was launched on the evening of International Women’s Day to mark 100 years of women having the vote. A 4pm broadcast reached 30,000 on Sky News, backed by a simultaneous Twitter live stream. The judges praised Sky’s “ambition” and cross-platform focus.

BBC FOUR PROMS 2017: OKLAHOMA! BBC Studios for BBC Four BBC Four’s coverage comprised 23 full concert broadcasts, including a fully staged version of Broadway musical Oklahoma!. The production – carefully crafted despite challenges for the sound, camera and lighting teams – featured a cast of 28, whose voices were captured by 40 radio mics.

GAME4GRENFELL Legends TV and Expectation Entertainment for Sky 1 The charity football match at QPR’s Loftus EUROSPORT’S PYEONGCHANG Road stadium made #Game4Grenfell the 2018 WINTER OLYMPICS number one Twitter trend during broadcast, highlighting the tragedy of the west London tower block fire and the plight of its survivors. Eurosport UK It garnered an average audience of 321,000 for its premiere on Sky 1, with a second TX UROSPORT’S COVERAGE from the 2018 Winter on Pick adding another 178,000. Olympics “took sports coverage to a whole new PREMIER LEAGUE TONIGHT E level of innovation”, according to the judges. Sunset+Vine for BT Sport 1 Discovery-owned Eurosport identified that the Eurosport The series, which followed the Saturday nine-hour time difference between South Korea took sports evening live match, was commended by and the UK meant catch-up would be vital. Its two the judges for “marrying football coverage coverage to and great casting”. The views of ex-players top-performing programmes were both highlights a whole such as Rio Ferdinand, added to the pre- and shows and each attracted an average audience of post-match opinions of knowledgeable ‘fan more than 100,000. new level of pundits’, was seen as providing the show With Eurosport the official Winter Olympics broad- innovation with something unique and credible. caster in the UK for the first time, more than 4,000 hours of coverage from 100 events was produced. The Eurosport WINTER OLYMPICS BBC Sport for BBC Online, Player provided 16 feeds, while three pop-up channels BBC Red Button and BBC Four expanded its reach on BT TV and . The BBC provided more than 300 hours of Eurosport worked with Snap to create a daily Our network TV coverage, long-form programming Stories strand, curated by Snap editors and featuring on iPlayer and daily hour-long evening show- games footage and user-generated content. Another case shows on BBC Four, which outperformed the slot average with 366,000 viewers. The strand, Publisher Stories, featured magazine-style shorts. judges praised the BBC’s sporting expertise There was particular praise for Sport Explainers, a and “impressive digital content”. 10-part short-form augmented reality series, which aimed to explain the techniques and basics of specific sports. “Outstanding,” was the verdict of one judge. The coverage stood out because it managed to “appeal to novices and superfans in a neat and clever way”, said the judges, while one was “simply blown away” by the overall package.

10 | Broadcast DIGITAL AWARDS 2018 BROADCASTNOW.CO.UK BEST DIGITAL SUPPORT FOR A STRAND, CHANNEL OR GENRE

SHORTLISTED BBC THREE A vital part of the ecosystem of the online- only channel, social-fi rst content has been commissioned across a range of platforms, while all iPlayer content also receives dedicated support. The youth-skewing brand generated more than 1 billion Facebook views in 2017, with several videos racking up more than 50 million views.

BBC’S MINDS MATTER SEASON A crucial component of raising awareness of the BBC-wide mental health season, the #1in4 campaign generated signifi cant pick-up with its young female target demographic beyond the broadcaster’s own platforms and profi les. The campaign, which fed into a 1Xtra debate, persuaded 4,000 individuals to post selfi es and attracted celebrity endorsement.

DISCOVERY CHANNEL UK The #keepdiscovery campaign, launched to show support for the broadcaster to stay on Sky, proved a vital springboard to super- charge its social presence. A radical overhaul of its profi les cross-platform resulted in an MTV PRIDE uptick in effectiveness, underlined by one video of an air-gliding snake securing an unprecedented 35 million views. NAPCHAT DISCOVER was the primary channel for the LGBTQ+ pop-up channel’s digital push, PARANORMAL ON REALLY: with six MTV takeovers scheduled in the build-up HAUNTED DOLLS LIVE FEED S The Haunted Dolls feed and 360 Facebook to the 8 July Pride event. The platform Live stunts were fi rsts for the broadcaster as The sessions, which celebrated people from across delivered more it approached the paranormal genre with the LGBTQ+ spectrum, were designed to be shareable, than 75 million innovation in mind. An engaged audience with celebrity interviews, news, features and galleries responded to the campaigns, which used the among the 70-plus pieces of content created. views during latest 360 camera equipment and enabled Some of the top-performing content, such as a ‘Kissing the month-long them to direct the action. campaign Guys’ colouring book, short-form video series Paris Lee: TOMORROW’S WORLD – Everything You Need To Know About Trans Dating and a GLOBAL CHANGE CALCULATOR ‘Guide to being gay in a country where it remains The second most-shared piece of content illegal’, were shared hundreds of thousands of times. on BBC Taster, the service shows the Many articles, including ‘23 times the internet taught advancement of science and technology you everything you needed to know about being bisexual’ across different generations. Visitors enter their birth date and that of a relative before were sourced from fans and compiled via social media. viewing a personalised, interactive documen- In total, the platform delivered more than 75 million tary fi lm, produced via a sophisticated algo- views during the month-long campaign. rithm. The strand’s high-profi le partners Facebook, Twitter and Instagram were also heavily included the Science Museum, The Open used as distribution outlets, with bespoke content University and Wellcome Trust. appearing across each to amplify the activity. In a clear sign that MTV had developed its strategy since Pride 2016, the push delivered around seven times the views generated previously. The reaction on social media was overwhelmingly positive, with comments on its inclusivity, diversity and progressive nature. One judge praised the volume of output created, while another noted its effectiveness. “Great content, great tone, big impact,” they said.

BROADCASTNOW.CO.UK Broadcast DIGITAL AWARDS 2018 | 11 BEST SHORT-FORM COMEDY

SHORTLISTED ABSOLUTELY FINE Comedy Central International for Comedy Central Comedy Central International’s fi rst narrative scripted short-form series was written and directed by comedian and Friday Night Dinner actor Tom Rosenthal. Centring on the millennial experience of ‘having a wealth of opportunity and a paucity of ambition’, each standalone vignette featured Rosenthal fumbling his way through social mores, from night club etiquette to tipping a Deliveroo driver. The shorts each attracted an average of more than 530,000 views.

BAD SNAPPERS Factory Films for Comedy Central A mostly female team of writers, producers, directors and exes delivered the second series of the show for Comedy Central International’s Snapchat Discover channel. Shot in the 9:16 ratio demanded by Snapchat, it employed minimal dialogue, with physical comedy, close-ups, text messages and photo posts used to deliver its social media-savvy jokes. Creators Danni Jackson and Georgie PLS LIKE Fuller are now developing longer-form shows. HOW TO BECOME TRIPADVISOR’S Left Bank Pictures for BBC Three #1 FAKE RESTAURANT Vice UK for Vice UK Initially written as a photo essay, Oobah LS LIKE BITES the many hands that feed it. Butler’s mission to turn his garden shed into The affectionate spoof of YouTube vloggers was London’s top-rated restaurant on TripAdvisor soon became an 18-minute video sensation, released on YouTube, and ribbed the earnest doc P clocking up 33 million views in two weeks. style of the BBC youth channel that commissioned it. A very Vice worked with the prankster over eight Both audiences have taken it to their . entertaining, months to develop the project, which The show’s winning formula lies in its ability to culminated in genuine visitors ‘enjoying’ harness the strengths of its creators’ background in note-perfect microwave meals in his shed and generated improvisation and character comedy to capture the portrayal of the huge heat for the youth brand. up-to-the-minute sensibility of the vlogging world. YouTube world QUICKIES Two-time Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee Liam BBC Studios for BBC Three Williams, described as having ‘the mind of a 50-year- BBC Three’s new talent showcase is aimed old grumpy technophobe in the body of a 28-year-old squarely at millennials, with shorts tackling grumpy technophobe’, was joined by performers including everything from being the fi rst to fart in a relationship to how to deal with friends who Tim Key, Emma Sidi, Jon Pointing, Hammed Animashaun chew loudly. Pranks and parodies abound, and Ellie White to conjure up a larger-than-life world and a sketch for Inter national Women’s Day that takes the vlogging world seriously while fi nding from comedy duo Muriel has now been and exploiting its inherent comedic potential. shared 20,000 times. The show has been embraced by vloggers, helped ROMESH TALKING TO COMEDIANS in part by the crew fi lming at the Summer in the City Green Door Pictures for BBC Three convention, where they interviewed YouTubers and fans. The Asian Provocateur star interviewed a Commissioned and budgeted as a 6 x 10-minute series, plethora of contemporary comics in this fl y- the team lengthened this to 15 minutes during production on-the-wall series, but it was siblings Daisy to allow for improvisation on the 11-day shoot. May and Charlie Cooper, co-creators of This Country, who really caught audiences’ atten- For the judges, the format was “a very entertaining, tion. The episode in which Daisy May talks note-perfect portrayal of the YouTube world”, with about the time she accidentally auditioned a format that represented “an imaginative way of to be a stripper has received more than harnessing emerging talent”. 13 million views on Facebook.

12 | Broadcast DIGITAL AWARDS 2018 BROADCASTNOW.CO.UK BEST DIGITAL SUPPORT FOR A PROGRAMME

SHORTLISTED ACKLEY BRIDGE SNAPCHAT CAMPAIGN That Lot and The Forge for Channel 4 An innovative Snapchat campaign enabled young viewers to get even closer to the show and its characters via bespoke, smartphone-fi lmed scenes created to tie in with storylines in each episode. Video was released via Snapchat in real time as the episode aired.

BLUE PLANET II DIGITAL BBC Worldwide, BBC and BBC Studios for BBC One Blue Planet II was BBC Natural History’s largest ever digital campaign, with producers fi nding audiences on platforms including Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Twitter, and providing a complete Blue Planet II digital universe across all accounts. The marketing campaign was digital-fi rst, from teasers to live streaming, a prequel and exclusive behind-the-scenes footage.

CONTAGION! THE BBC FOUR PANDEMIC 360 Production for BBC Four CELEBRITY BIG BROTHER 2018: Created collaboratively between 360 Production, Cambridge University, BOLDER, BRAVER, BETTER The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and Belfast-based app developer Initial and Endemol Shine UK for Channel 5 Big Motive, the BBC Pandemic App was designed to anonymously collect GPS and NITIAL’S CAMPAIGN for Channel 5’s Celebrity ‘contact’ data from users, with the hope of creating a new ‘gold standard’ data set Big Brother was based around an “immediate, for use in infectious disease modelling Iinteractive and immersive” strategy, with no social and pandemic planning. media platform left untouched. The show is The campaign leveraged Instagram stories that LOVE ISLAND – OWNING using digital in THE SUMMER ON DIGITAL became the home of ‘live from the house’ content. For a smart and the fi rst time, daily promos were produced for each ITV Digital Studio and Monterosa savvy way to for ITV2 episode, taking the biggest moments from the hour and secure Love Island’s campaign rolled out across condensing them into two-minute tasters. Initial also seven platforms and encompassed more than launched a 15-minute live show streaming on Twitter audience for 3,000 individual pieces of content, published and Facebook twice a week. Their efforts resulted in the future 16 hours a day, including previews, reviews more video views, higher engagement rates and more and exclusives. The app offered offi cial per- sonalised Love Island merchandise, while a social media buzz than ever before. daily ‘First Look’ released the best moments CBB was one of the most tweeted-about shows in on digital platforms before the show. January 2018, and #CBBFinal was trending worldwide on the fi nal night. The fi nale received more than THE BRIT AWARDS 2018 129,000 mentions across social media on the night. Somethin’ Else for ITV Producers enhanced the ITV broadcast by The series was Big Brother’s most-watched ever on using every digital platform to showcase the social media, with a total of 77 million video views full breadth of the event. Campaign features across Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Content was included going live on several platforms, viewed for a cumulative 147 million minutes. leveraging coverage from celebrity Brits Judges applauded the ‘Bolder, Braver, Better’ campaign ambassadors, an infl uencer squad, weekly Facebook announcements and an exclusive for “evolving the show” and making it “relevant again”. digital reveal of a Liam Payne performance. One judge said: “The show is using digital in a smart and savvy way to secure audience for the future. It is extremely well planned and surprisingly engaging.”

BROADCASTNOW.CO.UK Broadcast DIGITAL AWARDS 2018 | 13 BEST SHORT-FORM FORMAT

SHORTLISTED CHAT SHIT GET ELECTED Vice UK for Vice UK Comedian Dean Simon (better known as Rants n Bants) was cast as Vice’s new political correspondent, tackling hard political issues in a unique, energetic and funny style. That translated to an informal filming style with the camera in almost constant motion around the streets of Westminster, including in the back of a cycle rickshaw.

GHOST HUNT Avalon and Vertical Networks for Snapchat Snapchat’s dating format received plenty of praise for its balanced comic tone and sense of authenticity. Filmed in 4K with vertically orientated cameras and edited specifically for mobile viewing, it helps a forlorn lover reconnect with a love interest who has vanished into the digital ether. The series delivered 5.3 million views per episode, despite each being available for only 48 hours.

LET’S SETTLE THIS BBC Studios Digital for BBC iPlayer EATING WITH MY EX Soon to be Channel 4 star Big Narstie cut his short-form teeth with this barbershop Shotglass Media for BBC Three format in which he held court on topics ranging from what constitutes cheating to whether you should wash chicken before SIMPLE PREMISE superbly executed, Eating With cooking it. Essentially a comedy entertain- My Ex reunited couples over dinner to pick over the ment platform for Narstie to rant, Let’s Settle This lifted the lid on a south London barber bones of their failed relationship. The results were A shop to great effect. funny, moving, heart-warming and authentic in equal Eating With My measure, and covered a range of outcomes: some exes Ex exhibits the THE CHEFS’ CHEFS wanted a reunion, others wanted an apology, while others Stepping Stone Media for HuffPost UK wanted closure. This helped give the format variety. depth, maturity A beautifully shot series that set up kitchen Shot in an intimate style, Eating With My Ex made and sensitivity meetings between world-renowned chefs of a half-hour and some of their food heroes. Putting com- use of the split-screen format to simultaneously focus petitive formats and contrived situations to on both parties and capture all their reactions during show in six one side, The Chef’s Chefs allowed viewers the meal. “It is truly heart-warming and emotive – I minutes – it is access to intimate conversations peppered wish I’d made it,” said one envious judge. pitch perfect with honesty and humour. It delivered At the point of entry, the show had delivered 1.2 million views on the HuffPo site alone. 4.8 million views on YouTube (an average of 480,000 THINGS NOT TO SAY per episode) and 1.3 million views on iPlayer (an Mentorn Media for BBC Three average of 130,000 per episode). Cut-down versions Turning offensive, insensitive or stereotyped were seeded on Facebook, which drove awareness and questions into a fact ent format is not an resulted in 6.7 million views (11 million reach and more obvious path, but it paid off in Things Not To Say. Its breadth is remarkable, covering than 100,000 engagements) for a single video. everyone from Sikhs and Scots to deaf Casting was crucial to its success. Its 10 episodes people and women who choose to wear reflected the diversity of Britain’s young people in terms the burqa. The latter had 11 million Face- of sexuality, ethnicity, class and region, which was part book views and 500,000 engagements – of the thinking behind BBC Three’s decision to super- no small achievement for a short aiming to destigmatise a group via humour. charge the format by ordering a long-form version. One judge summed up the panel’s view: “Eating With My Ex exhibits the depth, maturity and sensitivity of a half-hour show in six minutes – it is pitch perfect.”

14 | Broadcast DIGITAL AWARDS 2018 BROADCASTNOW.CO.UK BEST COMEDY PROGRAMME

SHORTLISTED CHEWING GUM Retort for E4 With a series average of 305,000, Chewing Gum continued to propel Michaela Coel, who delivers 2018’s MacTaggart Lecture in August, towards stardom. The comedy, which draws on Coel’s experiences growing up in Tower Hamlets, was praised for uncompro- misingly tackling issues such as sex and faith on an inner London estate.

MAN LIKE MOBEEN Cave Bear Productions/Tiger Aspect Productions for BBC Three Man Like Mobeen offers a comic perspective on the young British Muslim experience, with writer and star Guz Khan keen to shine a light on the diversity of Small Heath, an area the mainstream media has described as a hotbed of Islamic fundamentalism. Hundreds of thousands of iPlayer requests suggest the message was received loud and clear.

ROAST BATTLE UK Fulwell 73 Productions for Comedy Central UK Based on a US comedy-entertainment format IN THE LONG RUN of the same name, Roast Battle UK delivered a series average of 441,000 (including Sprout and Green Door for Sky 1 267,000 16-34s). The stripped series, in which popular comedians went head to head to put each other down in the cruellest HE PERSONAL experiences of actor, DJ and possible ways, billed itself as offending ‘eve- producer Idris Elba formed the backdrop ryone in equal measure’. T of this sitcom, which the judges described THE YOUNG OFFENDERS as “funny and poignant”. Warm, Vico Films for BBC Three One said it was a “perfect sitcom with laugh- sentimental This County Cork-set comedy has been out-loud moments”, while according to another, it consistently among BBC Three’s top performers was “warm, sentimental and a glimpse into a place and a glimpse since its launch, with an episode peak of and time rich with characters and issues I wanted into a place 1.7 million. With audiences already familiar and time rich with the characters through a popular feature to know about”. film, the TV series successfully showcased As a representation of an African-British family in with characters the mischievous and charming lives of a the 1980s, the series was praised for its attention and issues group of working-class Irish kids. to detail: the Sierra Leone and Ghanian characters I wanted to used Krio and Twi dialogue respectively, while hair THIS COUNTRY know about BBC Studios for BBC Three styles, props and clothing were meticulously researched The second series of this quiet but powerful to give it an authentic feel. mockumentary about the lives of young The musical score also represented the storylines, people in the rural Cotswolds was universally with a mix of ’80s hits sitting alongside original acclaimed. Its popularity shone through clips African music. such as one of co-lead Kerry’s mum singing Happy Birthday, which racked up more than Older lenses such as Cooke Panchromatic S2 series 20 million views online. primes were used to give it a period feel. Elba, whose star continues to burn brightly across TV and film, was joined on screen by British comedy legend Bill Bailey, among others. The first two episodes racked up audiences of 994,000 and 810,000 respectively for Sky 1 – up 32% on the slot average – and the series was showered with positive reviews.

BROADCASTNOW.CO.UK Broadcast DIGITAL AWARDS 2018 | 15 THANKS TO THE BROADCAST DIGITAL AWARDS JUDGES At The Hospital Club in Covent Laurence Bowen Dancing David Kaskel Breaking Fourth Dan Patton Digital Garden, more than 70 industry Ledge Productions Samantha Kingston Virtual media consultant fi gures came together to judge the Pinki Chambers BBC Umbrella Sheena Peirse ITV Broadcast Digital Awards 2018. Jesse Cleverly Wildseed Studios Simon Knight Maverick TV Natalie Rose UKTV The judges were split into groups Damian Collier Blend Media Ian Lamarra Producer Sam Rowden AMC Networks and presented with longlists in Peter Cowley Spirit Media Navi Lamba BBC Three International UK each category, which they whittled Will Daws Plum Pictures Lucy Lendrem Gleam Futures Will Saunders Consultant/ down to a shortlist of six. After Mark Eaves Gravity Road Lucy Lumsden Yellow Door executive producer debating the merits of each James Emtage The Story Lab Productions Ed Sayer Discovery UK conten der, a secret ballot took Liesel Evans RAW TV Amy Maher Firecracker Films Simon Shalgosky Lion Television place to determine the winner. Paul Evans Primal Media Natalie McArdle Electric Ray Ian Sharpe Somethin’ Else Judges were looking for digital John Farrar NERD TV Ross McCarthy James Stafford Studio71 content, platforms and channels Danny Fenton Zig Zag Gobstopper Television Andy Stevenson Whisper Films that demonstrated originality, Productions Carla McGilchrist Jon Swain BBC Studios insight and great story telling. They Barry Flanigan Bigballs Media Objective Fiction James Tatam Channel 5 were not disappointed. Thanks Colette Foster Full Fat TV Charlotte Mikkelborg Celia Taylor Mentorn Media to everyone who took part. Ben Freeman Banijay UK Picture This Production Martin Trickey Warner Bros. Geoffrey Goodwin Oath Bertie Millis Virtual Umbrella International TV Production Lara Akeju ITV Morwenna Gordon Sky Richard Mills Imaginary Pictures Nick Underhill Flicker Productions Jonathan Almond Elaine Hackett Crackit Jason Mitchell Johnny Webb Sundog Pictures Delightful Media Productions The Connected Set Joanna Wells MTV & Comedy Elena Anniballi Blaze/ David Hallam Three Arrows Media Vivienne Molokwu Channel 4 Central A+E Networks UK Tim Hammond Wisebuddah Alex Morris Barcroft Media Arnold Widdowson Tiger Aspect Sarah Asante BBC Helen Hawken Exec producer Daniela Neumann Spun Gold TV Shoshana Wilson Fox, Your TV, Rob Aslett Avalon Ellie Hewlett Shotglass Media John Nolan APEX Content National Geographic and Janet Awe Scripted comedy Andy Hipkiss Triple A Media & Ventures National Geographic Wild development/producer Triple A Media Sport Faraz Osman Gold Wala Athena Witter Yellow Dot Media Alex Ayling BBC Studios Karolyn Holbon Endemol Shine UK Jonathan Pascoe Gary Woolf Dominic Bird Channel 4 Claire Hungate Brave Bison Group ITN Productions international

Jason Mitchell Celia Taylor Rob Aslett

Elaine Hackett Will Daws Karolyn Holbon

16 | Broadcast DIGITAL AWARDS 2018 BROADCASTNOW.CO.UK METHODOLOGY AND JUDGING

Janet Awe Jon Swain

DominicJudge name Bird here Sam Rowden Judge name here Vivienne Molokwu

John Nolan Navi Lamba Liesel Evans

Charlotte Mikkelborg Natalie Rose

BROADCASTNOW.CO.UK Broadcast DIGITAL AWARDS 2018 | 17 BEST POPULAR FACTUAL PROGRAMME

HIGHLY COMMENDED VALLEY COPS Minnow Films for BBC Three South Wales Police were the focus of this darkly comic series, which became BBC Wales’ most popular factual programme in six years and one of iPlayer’s most streamed shows. The series reflected the pride the local community has in its area, despite the underlying socio-economic problems. SHORTLISTED FAKING IT: TEARS OF A CRIME Shearwater Media for Investigation Discovery (ID) Criminal experts including a body-language analyst, a linguistics specialist and a psy- chologist were among the panel assembled to re-examine some of the world’s most notorious cases, including the Soham murders and the death of Reeva Steenkamp. The series, which benefited from an archive deal with ITN, reeled in three of the channel’s highest-ever audiences to date.

INSIDE MY HEAD: A NEWSROUND SPECIAL PORTRAIT ARTIST OF THE YEAR 2018 CBBC Production for CBBC This contributor-led special focused on the Storyvault Films for Sky Arts story of Josh, a 14-year-old who kept his Obsessive Compulsive Disorder secret for 18 months. Design company Made In Colour ITTERS INCLUDING David Tennant, Noel Fielding was brought on board to create graphic and Emeli Sandé helped sprinkle a layer of stardust novel-style animations to help bring to life the issues he faced, while BBC Radio 1’s Dr Sonto the format as it returned for a fourth outing. Radha offered simple tips to those affected. The series followed a group of amateur and profes- Portrait Artist sional artists, selected form 1,500 applicants, as they Of The Year INSIDE THE AMBULANCE competed for the chance to win a £10,000 commission Brown Bob Productions for W to paint a portrait of actress Kim Cattrall, to hang in is a brilliant This series was shot using 10 GoPros format that entirely from the point of view of the West Liverpool’s Walker Art Gallery. Midlands Ambulance Service’s paramedics, Hosted by Joan Bakewell and Frank Skinner, constantly supported by rigs installed inside their the show has grown to become Sky Arts’ most- refreshes and ambulances. The non-intrusive approach popular programme, alongside sister series entertains allowed the producers to capture the fear, Landscape Artist Of The Year. relief and joy of patients, as well as the humour of the crews. The 11-parter pulled in cumulative audiences of more than 700,000, bolstered by outings on Sky 1, to JUNIOR DOCTORS: BLOOD, become the channel’s best-performing show since SWEAT AND TEARS 2012’s A Young Doctor’s Notebook. BBC Studios for BBC Three Storyvault was praised by the judges for continuing BBC Studios followed a group of recently to produce the show to the high quality its competitors’ qualified doctors at Wolverhampton’s New Cross Hospital using an innovative digital efforts deserve. The creation of each painting was time- mini-rig. The producers were keen to reflect lapsed and filmed with six cameras, a Steadicam and a the doctors’ everyday habits and gave the jib, while producers were faced with the challenge of diverse group mobile phones, which allowed daylight pouring in through the windows of the central viewers to see their texts, calls and last- London gallery that hosted the show. minute internet searches. The material captured was layered over the scenes to One judge dubbed it “gripping and classy”, while add an extra element of honesty. another highlighted Storyvault’s ability to evolve the show: “Brilliant format, it constantly refreshes and entertains.”

18 | Broadcast DIGITAL AWARDS 2018 BROADCASTNOW.CO.UK BEST DOCUMENTARY PROGRAMME

SHORTLISTED ACID ATTACK: MY STORY Raw for BBC Three Exploring the terrifying phenomenon of acid attacks through the prism of one story, this single doc combined archive footage, stylised recon and candid interviews to great effect. The latter were shot down-the-camera, Interrotron-style, and helped to get to the heart of victim Naomi Oni’s personal story.

LIFE AND DEATH ROW: THE MASS EXECUTION BBC Studios for BBC Three The Life And Death Row strand has become a watchword for consistently excellent factual programming and this latest iteration is no exception. Eight executions were scheduled within 10 days in Arkansas, with the production team exploring all facets, including access to the families of victims and the condemned, law enforcement and the inmates themselves.

ONE DEADLY WEEKEND IN AMERICA Voltage TV Productions for BBC Three Judges praised the vast scale of One Deadly Weekend In America’s ambition, as it explored the murders taking place over a LOVE AND HATE CRIME single 48-hour period. The series completely immersed viewers in the shocking two days, Top Hat TV for BBC Three with news reporters and politicians used as a Greek chorus to punctuate events.

N A BUMPER YEAR for American crime docs, this THE PEOPLE’S HISTORY series edged out the competition thanks to its deep OF LGBTQ BRITAIN 7 Wonder for BBC Four exploration of single narratives. It was a masterclass I A fresh approach to history yielded impres- in beautiful and thought-provoking film-making. Extraordinary sive results. The stories for the entire series Top Hat’s series was journalistically watertight and access, were crowdsourced through an online cam- accurate, but built upon present-tense observational paign, which allowed ordinary LGBTQ people filming, which helped it play out like a drama in terms beautifully shot, across Britain to tell their stories and share of plot twists and surprises. with powerful their memorabilia from 50 years of amazing storytelling and social change. Recollections from presenters The powerful first episode featured incredible access as it Susan Calman and Stephen K Amos added tracked a young man being transported to court, his state plenty of twists another personal touch. court appearance, his guilty plea, his sentencing and his and turns to first week of a life sentence without the chance of parole keep the viewer PHILIP LARKIN BY ANDREW MOTION – including time in a solitary confinement ward wherehe Icon Films for Sky Arts hooked Poetry on TV is a tough gig, but the judges was held on suicide watch. The fact that he was revealed loved the tone of this show, which is part of a to be an unreliable narrator only added to the intrigue. quirky Sky Arts strand of authored docs with One judge said the approach “felt like a genuinely talent celebrating talent. It featured perfor- new way in to quite familiar territory”, which may also mances by real people ‘live’ on the streets of explain its international success – the show has been Hull, in pubs, shops and on public transport, which gave the film a sense of urgency. sold to 15 international territories, including the US. It averaged more than 800,000 viewers – no mean feat for a complex series that examined the motivations of the perpetrators and sought to reveal why so many Americans still embrace prejudice and discrimination. Shot on prime lenses, it was a series that delivered “extraordinary access, beautifully shot, with powerful storytelling and plenty of twists and turns to keep the viewer hooked”, according to one judge.

BROADCASTNOW.CO.UK Broadcast DIGITAL AWARDS 2018 | 19 BEST DIGITAL CHILDREN’S CONTENT

SHORTLISTED CBEEBIES PLAYTIME ISLAND Media Applications Technology for CBeebies The judges described Playtime Island as a fun and intuitive environment for kids. Personalisation is the foundation of the island experience, with kids choosing their favourite games and CBBC characters. The island was created in collaboration with its users, aged four to seven. Playtime Island has become the number one kids’ app on iTunes, Google Play and Amazon.

LAST COMMANDERS Objective Media Group Scotland and Panda TV for CBBC Last Commanders is a game in which young players have to join forces with the Com- manders to stop a universe-threatening AI called Sciron. It mashes up platforms and genres – it’s a TV show and an online experi- ence, and it blends sci-fi with gameshow and point-and-click puzzles. The judges described it as “entertaining” and “well executed”.

NIKKI LILLY MEETS Blakeway North for CBBC website BEANO STUDIOS and YouTube channel This series of short fi lms showcased the Beano Studios for Beano extraordinary interviewing skills and charm of YouTube sensation Nikki Lilly – a teen who loves make-up, clothes, baking and social HUGELY RICH digital experience that takes media, despite being diagnosed with a life- the Beano brand into the 21st century. It’s fun, threatening medical condition during child- hood – and aimed to showcase her bubbly “ cheeky and compelling,” was one judge’s A personality. The judges said Nikki had estab- comment about this category’s clear winner. A truly lished her talent via interviews with Theresa Beano.com has taken Dennis, Gnasher and all the impressive May, David Walliams and Jeremy Corbyn. other comic strip characters and ‘rebooted’ them and the Beano experience for a new generation of fans. transformation PABLO’S ART WORLD ADVENTURE “It’s a truly impressive transformation of a heritage of a heritage Paper Owl Films, D3T and Bass Boulos brand and for CBeebies and RTÉ brand and characters, making it relevant for a new Pablo’s Art World Adventure is the accom- young audience,” said another judge. characters, panying game to the CBeebies/RTÉ series, Beano.com launched in September 2016 as a unique, making it where Pablo, who is autistic, uses safe and free digital channel for kids that is available relevant for a crayons to turn his life challenges into adven- on mobile, tablet, desktop and app. The site was tures to help face the real world with confi - new audience dence. The judges said it was a beautifully relaunched in March 2017 with a new design and to crafted, easy-to-use game with a strong much more strongly showcase original content and social purpose. It is one of the top 10 encourage interactivity. Original video output was most-played games on the CBBC website. increased by 50% and online quizzes quadrupled. All video is created or commissioned by Beano’s in- THE PETS FACTOR True North Productions for CBBC house content team, working with partners including The Pets Factor is a successful TV show and C4, Comic Relief and BBC Comedy. Beano is at pains game and has generated enormous social to point out that the site is a safe environment for media buzz for CBBC. The TV programme is children, with complete security and no data sharing. a consistent entry in CBBC’s top 10 shows Since relaunch, Beano.com is the fastest-growing and the game was one of its top fi ve games during the launch period. The judges praised kids’ site in the UK, with audiences up 562%. Just the consistent tone and quality of both. under 1.5 million kids access the site. Even sales of the comic have gone up in the past year by almost 10% – a fact the publisher puts down partly to its online success.

20 | Broadcast DIGITAL AWARDS 2018 BROADCASTNOW.CO.UK BEST ENTERTAINMENT CHANNEL

SHORTLISTED BBC FOUR Friday nights have long been the home of music documentaries on BBC Four, but this has morphed into new shapes in the past year with more exclusive performances. As well as an early-evening broadcast of highlights from Radio 1’s Live Lounge, the channel revived The Old Grey Whistle Test for a live three-hour show that peaked with audiences close to 1 million.

COMEDY CENTRAL UK Local shows have become core to Comedy Central UK, with familiar faces Jimmy Carr and Katharine Ryan presiding over both a revival of Your Face Or Mine – the channel’s first game- show commission – and stripped hit Roast Battle UK. It also branched out into travelogue with Russell Howard & Mum, and topical chat with The Chris Ramsey Show.

DAVE It’s not all about Taskmaster on Dave – though the breakout hit’s 13% share of all UKTV Play views should not be underestimated. Yianni: Supercar Customiser brought a youthful, social media-engaged feel to the channel, BBC THREE while Dara O Briain’s Go 8 Bit managed to fuse gaming and comedy to great effect, and political satire show Unspun With Matt Forde VERY PART of BBC Three’s output is shot through made hay with the snap General Election. with a clear sense of engagement and entertain- ment, precision-targeted at its young viewers, E4 E Among the youth channel’s entertainment according to the judges. The judges highlights was its first ad-funded show, All In terms of pure entertainment, Murder In Successville admired the Star Driving School, which brought 16-34s remains a jewel in the channel’s crown and the envy of confidence in their droves to the 7.30pm slot. Other its peers. The comedy/reality/improv hybrid hit new debuts included Five Star Hotel and Celebs creative heights in the past year, with episodes themed of a channel Go Dating, which E4 cheekily promoted via around superheroes and Victorian England. that knows its ads popping up on Tinder when users swiped Eating With My Ex, meanwhile, was such a hit across audience inside through for a date. Its take on the General Election, meanwhile, in which celebrities 10 short-form episodes that it has now been commis- out and has encouraged young voters with tales of their sioned as a long-form show, while Our Wild Week In consistently ‘first time’, was bang on message. Croatia followed its cast of ‘Brits abroad’ with real-time proved the updates on Instagram and Snapchat, daily episodes on sceptics wrong YouTube and a wrap-up episode on iPlayer. All of this positions BBC Three as a prime destination for entertainment, which has been given a £10m boost for the coming year, with feelgood ideas that offer a unique take on the complexities of the modern world. Some of the future entertainment hits will surely come from the wave of new talent the channel has nurtured, such as This Country’s Bafta-winning duo Daisy and Charlie Cooper, Chinese Burn’s Yennis Cheung and Shin-Fei Chen, Man Like Mobeen’s Guz Khan (pictured) and Enterprice’s Kayode Ewumi. Above all, the judges admired the confidence of a channel that knows its audience inside out and has consistently proved the sceptics wrong since it left linear TV, with a rich mix of short- and long-form content.

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SHORTLISTED SHORTLISTED OVERSHADOWED Rollem Productions for BBC iPlayer and BBC Three A blogger’s anorexia becomes personified in a confessional-style series that is based on Eva O’Connor’s award-winning stage play. Telling the story purely via the camera protagonist Imogene uses to record her online diary, the series offered an unflinching insight into the mental, rather than physical, impact of the condition.

QUEERS BBC Studios for BBC iPlayer Curated by Mark Gatiss, the series of eight monologues examined the very different attitudes and social changes in gay men’s lives over the past century. The films formed part of One Voice, an initiative from The Old Vic in which a single voice appears on a stage devoid of scenery, costume or props.

SCREWBALL! CTVC for TrueTube.co.uk Education specialist CTVC tackled sex and relationships with Screwball, an empowering, myth-busting film designed as a teaching RANDOM ACTS: LAST WORDS resource that students would want to share. Carefully considered casting, production Green Rock with Little Dot Studios for Channel 4 design and the soundtrack were among the elements that contributed to capturing the joy of the characters’ communicative and CCLAIMED POET Simon Armitage provided consenting sexual encounter. the inspiration for this romantic epic, which THE BREAK detailed the poignant last few moments of a A The Comedy Unit for BBC Three young women’s life in just four minutes. Last words Following a successful tender, Glaswegian Mike Fisher and Natasha Moses’ project was narrated had me indie The Comedy Unit picked up the third by Ivanno Jeremiah, who appeared in android drama series of the show to develop Scottish Humans, and starred the Channel 4 show’s Ruth hooked writers and directors. Five shorts, filmed Bradley as C. When C is fatally bitten by a spider hidden from start over five days, covered challenging issues to finish in a contemporary and innovative style among her vegetables, she tries to call a friend for including forbidden love, homosexuality support but ends up speaking to a stranger on the other and Rangers vs Celtic allegiances. side of the world who is also dying, having been cast adrift in the Indian Ocean. The drama encouraged viewers to consider how they would react if confronted with their own mortality, and almost 200,000 have interacted with it on Facebook since its November 2017 launch. Last Words was re-edited for Facebook consumption, with large captions added to the pre-titles, following its linear broadcast as part of the revamped Random Acts strand, to reflect the fact manypeople would encounter it with their devices muted. Storyboarding and the creation of a 3D animatic ensured shot timings dovetailed with the voiceover and also helped with the planning of the complex visual effects sequences. The attention to detail was a hit with the judges. “Truly engaging content, beautifully produced,” said one. Another added: “Had me hooked from start to finish.”

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020 8941 1000 www.shooting-partners.co.uk [email protected] Award sponsored by BEST VR EXPERIENCE

SHORTLISTED BBC EARTH: LIFE IN VR – CALIFORNIAN COAST BBC Studios Digital and Preloaded on Google Daydream Hitching a ride with inhabitants ranging from otters to squid provides users with an opportunity to explore a richly populated CGI environment from a unique perspective. The Google Daydream VR launch title, inspired by the work of the BBC’s Natural History Unit, offered an experience in which every journey is different.

DAMMING THE NILE BBC for Oculus Go, Gear VR, YouTube, Facebook and the BBC News website BBC News’ debut 360-degree video experi- ence is set against the backdrop of the world’s longest river, with users taken on assignment with Africa correspondent Alastair Leithead. A flight across Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt is followed by meetings with local people and ministers as they explore the impact of the creation of a $4.5bn (£3.4bn), 1.8km-long dam.

ONE DEADLY WEEKEND FROM VIRTUAL TO REALITY IN AMERICA VR Parable for YouTube, Facebook Factory 42 for YouTube, Google Arts & Culture and BBC Taster VR and the Royal Academy A CGI walk along an urban American street is the theme of the experience, which raises issues surrounding gun crime and promotes WELL-TOLD STORY that can only be told in a related linear documentary. Traditional 2D footage is projected onto several flat VR”, was the verdict of one judge after watching “ surfaces during the two-minute experience A From Virtual To Reality: Jonathan Yeo And The as the user is drawn into more menacing World’s First Large-Scale, 3D Printed Sculpture – a 360- A compelling surroundings before a shocking climax. degree film in which artist Jonathan Yeo creates a and thought- TRENDING GOLD piece called Homage To Paolozzi. out piece that Timed to coincide with From Life, an exhibition Jaunt VR for Olympic Channel directs the and Olympic Channel VR marking the 250th anniversary of the Royal Academy, Snowboarding, alpine skiing and bobsleigh in which five leading artists attempted to create art in user really well are among the events showcased in the virtual reality, Yeo forged a partnership with immersive seven-part series released to coincide with content studio Factory 42 and Google Arts and Culture. the PyeongChang Winter Games 2018. The Scanning his own head, he created a self-portrait first step into the format for the Olympic Channel, the series provided learnings using Google’s 3D painting software Tilt Brush about challenging production techniques before generating a 3D print, which was then used and gathered data around the Games’ key to cast a bronze sculpture. demographic, as well as showcasing some Capturing Yeo’s cluttered studio environment in of the world’s most talented athletes. photogrammetry­ was a challenge for the producers, WONDERFUL YOU VR while the visual effects needed to make his movements BDH Immersive for Oculus create visible brush strokes in the air required signifi- and Gear VR Stores cant rendering work by Halo VFX. Samantha Morton narrates a journey into the The clearly structured, well-executed experience, womb for an emotional experience in which filmed throughout the 18 months it took Yeo to complete users meet their unborn selves. Targeted primarily at non-gamers and women, the his sculpture, impressed the judges. “An intimate, pioneering encounter allows users to interact immersive insight into Jonathan Yeo’s world,” said with a 24-week-old foetus – tickling its hands one, while another described it as “a compelling and and encouraging it to sneeze and hiccup. thought-out piece that directs the user really well”.

BROADCASTNOW.CO.UK Broadcast DIGITAL AWARDS 2018 | 25 BEST PROGRAMME ACQUISITION

SHORTLISTED THE GOOD FIGHT More 4 CBS All Access drama The Good Fight was More 4’s second best-performing acquired title of 2017, reaching 2.9 million. Across its run, More 4 was the most-watched digital channel in the Thursday 9pm slot, and had a strong ABC1 profile of 62% – a key audience for the channel.

THE ORVILLE Fox Seth MacFarlane’s Fox comedy The Orville appealed to his existing fanbase. Coupled with smart, strategic scheduling, the show allowed the channel to bring in new viewers and re-engage with that fan base by driving viewing to the Thursday night strand as a whole. The Orville was viewed by 3.1 million across its run, of which 20% were new to Fox.

THE VIETNAM WAR BBC Four Ken Burns’ epic recounting of the story of the Vietnam War for PBS was one of the most impactful BBC Four offerings of 2017, peaking RONNY CHIENG: with 900,000 and drawing a consolidated series average of almost 750,000. The show INTERNATIONAL STUDENT behaved more like drama and natural history content in its viewing patterns, with a signifi- BBC Three cant long tail and an excellent performance on iPlayer – more than 4.2 million requests BC THREE ’S ACQUISITION of this 7 x 30-minute across the series. comedy from Australian public broadcaster ABC THE WHITE PRINCESS Bwas hailed as “bold, fresh and bringing something Drama genuinely new to the audience”. A clever Starz fantasy drama The White Princess The series follows the scholastic adventures of acquisition was the fourth most-watched commercial Chieng, a Malaysia-born comedian and Daily Show that is on show in its slot, peaking at 691,000 correspondent, who partly based the show around his during its premiere. The series also gener- brand and ated Drama’s highest numbers of views experiences as a law student in Melbourne, Australia, quite simply on UKTV Play and brought a new, younger struggling with prejudice and an unfamiliar culture. audience to the channel. The series, which was co-written and co-created by a standout Chieng and Declan Fay, launched on BBC Three in piece YOUNG SHELDON October 2017, garnering more than 1.2 million total E4 The premiere of CBS’s The Big Bang Theory downloads and peaking with nearly 343,000. prequel was E4’s best new comedy launch of The show sat comfortably amid the online channel’s 2017 for both individuals and 16-34s. As comedy stable, which includes People Just Do Nothing, part of the Quite Big Thursdays block, Young This Country, Young Offenders and Man Like Mobeen. Sheldon provided a strong lead-in for Brooklyn It also opened up BBC Three audiences to non- Nine Nine at 9pm. UK or US programming that reflects the universal experiences of students. One judge said the Sticky Pictures Productions comedy brought exactly the kind of diverse voices needed on the public broadcaster and remarked that it was “yet another great reason” to tune into BBC Three. Another called the show a “very clever acquisition” that is “on brand and quite simply a standout piece”.

26 | Broadcast DIGITAL AWARDS 2018 BROADCASTNOW.CO.UK BEST DRAMA PROGRAMME

SHORTLISTED BRITANNIA Vertigo Films and Neal Street Productions for Sky Atlantic The biggest launch for a Sky original drama since Fortitude, Britannia was quite unlike anything else on TV. Mining the little-explored customs, beliefs and stories of Celtic Britain, Jez Butterworth’s series shook up the period drama genre with its unique blend of gory action, hallucinogenic scenes and a deliberately anachronistic score. Series two is on the way.

CLIQUE Balloon Entertainment and BBC Studios for BBC Three The judges warmed to the glossy drama and female perspective of Jess Brittain’s dark take on university life. Favourably comparing it to Donna Tartt’s The Secret History, they said it had a unique tone and painted Edinburgh in a distinctive palette, with the kind of heightened sense of storytelling more typi- cally seen in US shows like Gossip Girl.

ERIC, ERNIE & ME Objective Fiction for BBC Four SAVE ME Mark Bonnar and Neil Maskell’s uncanny portrayals of Morecambe and Wise were key World Productions for Sky Atlantic to the success of this one-off drama, which managed to find a fresh angle on a familiar tale by exploring the legendary duo through KY ASKED a lot of Lennie James and the World the eyes of their writer Eddie Braben Productions team: following Sky Atlantic’s (Stephen Tompkinson). Neil Forsyth’s writing was touching, incisive and, crucially, funny. Ssuccess with high-concept epics, could they usher in a new breed of contemporary dramas for Sky 1, An utterly MURDERED FOR BEING DIFFERENT uncovering hidden parts of society? gripping and BBC Studios: The Documentary Save Me delivered this with aplomb, with all parts of Unit for BBC Three the production team coming together to deliver a hard- authentic script The third of BBC Three’s Murdered By… hitting drama unlike any other. Its mission statement combined with single dramas formed the centrepiece of the exceptional channel’s Sorry, Not Sorry season about was to “confound expectation” and from its opening identity. The formula was given new energy lengthy scene – a heated pub debate about shark directing by a decision to tell the true-life story from penises – this was far from your average thriller. multiple perspectives to bring out its themes James’ warm, witty and naturalistic writing, of tribalism and self-identification. Casting capturing the vernacular, cadence and energy of south non-professional teens from the area in which it was set added to the authenticity. London slang, was reflected in a production design that swapped the clichéd gritty council estate for bold, TIN STAR quirky designs and real views out of real windows. Kudos for Sky Atlantic The judges admired how colours were aligned to a The cinematic ambition and stellar cast of specific character, and to a directorial approach that this epic drama, including Tim Roth and Christina Hendricks, won many plaudits. that gave as much weight to the look and behaviour Creator Rowan Joffe, who wrote seven of of its extras as to its leads. the 10 scripts, set up grand themes of But all this would be mere window dressing were it illicit love, familial corruption, grief and all- not for the propulsive thriller at its heart. consuming revenge, mixing black comedy The judges praised James and co-star Suranne Jones’ and family tragedy with the propulsion of a highly emotional thriller. “outstanding performances” and the production’s ambition to raise the bar. It was, they said, “an utterly gripping and authentic script combined with exceptional directing” that together made something quite special.

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SHORTLISTED BARCROFT TV Barcroft TV enjoyed a record-breaking year and continued to operate as both a successful producer and a broadcaster. While the likes of short-form doc The Amazing Side Of Life and its Born Different series were incredibly well received, it scheduled multiple series that resonated with a global audience.

BBC THREE The BBC’s online-only offering went from strength to strength and its web channel was better than ever, offering an unrivalled mix of video content, long-form programming and articles. With up to 1.5 million weekly visitors to the website and 2.2 million Facebook subscribers, the site continued to dazzle and use social media to drive views.

HISTORYHIT Historian Dan Snow is behind this online offering, which keeps history buffs happy with a vast range of content. The platform, which was launched following the success of Snow’s podcast of the same name, provides original programming and an extensive slate of licensed shows, along with images, maps BEANO and timelines.

MASHED EANO STUDIOS scooped its second Broadcast Launched by Channel 4 in 2013 to reach Digital Awards gong for demonstrating what it those all-important 16-34 viewers, Mashed means to be a kids’ channel in the 21st century. posts fresh, funny and original animations. B Tapping into a growing fan base, in 2017 it Judges praised the online-only comic offering for Beano is passed the 1 million subscriber mark, while engaging children in a meaningful way that is in touch engaging quadrupling its YouTube views. It success with their viewing habits, posting a rolling roster of led to the launch of a Mashed vertical on mixed video and interactive formats to tap into an audi- children in a the platform. ence that wants to both read comics and interact online. meaningful One judge described the content as “of the moment” way that is in TRUETUBE and “speaking with the voice of its audience”, and said Indie CTVC’s online offering TrueTube made touch with their history last year, becoming the first ever the site provides a “great hub for kids’ entertainment”. viewing habits online platform to win Channel of the Year Using the might of the Beano Studios’ production at the Bafta Children’s Awards. Content hub to become what it describes as an “insight-driven highlights for the year included comedy/ machine”, an increase in video content led to a 500% drama Screwball! and drama Like Me, both upsurge in views by the second half of 2017. of which also scooped Children’s Baftas, along with factual offering To Life. Rip-roaring comedy content was put out throughout the year and it partnered with some exceptional on-screen talent, including Harry Hill, Russell Kane and The Mash Report’s Rachel Parris. A Tiny Trump satirical six-year-old celebrity was another huge hit. Its Dennis & Gnasher: Unleashed hub takes content from the hit CBBC TV series and repackages it exclu- sively, while original short-form animations like Toons were also a success. The channel, which has the mantra ‘Think More Kid’, tapped into the need for children to access content across all devices – it works just as well on an iPad or smartphone as it does online.

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SHORTLISTED BBC FOUR More than 20 programmes passed the 1 million viewer mark for BBC Four in 2017. The channel achieved 2% audience share for the first time in its 15-year history through bold programming initiatives such as its Japan and Gay Britannia seasons and foreign-language dramas.

BEANO Launched in September 2016 with a mantra to ‘Think More Kid’, beano.com has estab- lished itself as a prime example of what can be achieved by really knowing an audience. Stats show it is the UK’s fastest-growing digital platform – up 562% year on year, according to ComScore.

COMEDY CENTRAL UK Last year was a key one for Comedy Central, which achieved its highest ever share of 16-34s through well-received originals such as Roast Battle UK and Your Face Or Mine, and staples such as Friends and Impractical Jokers. New acquisitions included The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air and Takeshi’s Castle.

BBC THREE E4 E4 scooped The Big Bang Theory spin-off Young Sheldon last year, which duly achieved OMPLETING A TRIO of wins for the digital the best ratings among 16-34s for a new channel, which also picked up this year’s Best series across all of TV in a Thursday 8.30pm Factual Channel and Best Entertainment Channel slot. Along with the dependable Made In C Chelsea and Celebs Go Dating, it was a awards, BBC Three was the judges’ clear choice for The breadth strong year for the channel. Channel of The Year. Its online reach among 16-34s hit of content 7.9% in the October-December period – well over double impressed SKY ATLANTIC its reach at launch in 2016. Game Of Thrones series seven was among The breadth of the channel’s content offering the judges, the most anticipated TV events of 2017 and impressed the judges, with comedies like People with comedies the ratings for Sky Atlantic did not disappoint, Just Do Nothing, This Country and The Young Offenders like People Just with more than 5 million tuning in over seven days. Alongside this, original productions attracting dedicated followings. Acclaim on the factual Do Nothing such as Save Me and Tin Star added sparkle. front was provided by documentaries such as Drugsland and The Young and Life And Death Row: The Mass Execution. The latter Offenders was initially pitched as a 60-minute single but ended attracting up a four-part, 280-minute commission, highlighting dedicated how BBC Three can experiment more than many of its slot-dictated rivals. followings Other topics covered on the channel throughout the judging period included the British LGBTQ+ experience (the Queer Britain season), white working- class males (Britain’s Forgotten Men), cultural identity (Should I Marry My Cousin?) and legalised sex work (Sex, Drugs & Murder). On BBC iPlayer, BBC Three programming attracts as many as 5.5 million views a week – about 8% of the broadcaster’s total. With an extra £10m investment for an entertainment pillar and established talent such as Reggie Yates and Stacey Dooley anchoring, there’s no reason to believe things aren’t about to get even better.

30 | Broadcast DIGITAL AWARDS 2018 BROADCASTNOW.CO.UK