James Corden praised Netflix’s Adolescence as the future of TV during his speech at the Royal Television Society Awards on Tuesday.
The Gavin And Stacey star, 46, who recently moved back to the UK, also admitted he missed the BBC whilst living in Los Angeles.
On the night, RTS awarded James and his co-star Ruth Jones, 55, their prestigious Judges’ Award to the duo, in recognition of their roles as creators and writers of the beloved BBC sitcom.
During their acceptance speech, James reached out to TV writers of the future, admitting that it ‘seems almost unthinkable today that a pair of first time writers would ever be given such creative freedom.’
He said: ‘Right now as an industry we are facing so much uncertainty, budgets тιԍнтening, platforms consolidating and the sheer volume of content sometimes make you feel like you are shouting into the void. But I urge you not to let it dim your light.
‘We are blessed to live in a place that has the BBC and the National Theatre and these insтιтutions are the pinnacle of this country’s creative output.’
James Corden praised Netflix’s Adolescence as the future of TV during his speech at the Royal Television Society Awards on Tuesday
The actor then specifically mentioned hit Netflix show Adolescence, which has amᴀssed 66.3 million views since its launch
James made reference to his years spent on US TV as he added: ‘After living away for so many years I cannot tell you how much these insтιтutions need to be protected. But perhaps the challenges that we face today are not signals to retreat but a challenge to do the opposite.’
The actor then specifically mentioned hit Netflix show Adolescence, which has amᴀssed 66.3 million views since its launch.
The drama has captivated audiences and critics with each episode filmed in a single continuous take and the show is already being tipped for a string of BAFTA nominations.
James said: ‘When you see the response to a show like Adolescence these past few days maybe it’s telling us that now might be the time to actually be bolder and to back the ideas that perhaps might scare you a little.’
Elsewhere, the Smithy and Nessa actors embraced as they posed for snaps on the blue carpet at the event, held at Grosvenor House H๏τel in London.
James was dapper in head-to-toe black, showing off some new glᴀsses, while Ruth opted for a £95 emerald green Godiva dress with lace sleeves.
The comedy writers were nominated for best scripted comedy for the final Gavin & Stacey: The Finale which won critical acclaim when it was broadcast at Christmas and became one of the most watched scripted TV shows of the century.
But in a shock snub, the show lost out to BBC Three sitcom Things You Should Have Done, created and written by Lucia Keskin.
The Gavin And Stacey star, 46, who recently moved back to the UK, also admitted he missed the BBC whilst living in Los Angeles
The night ended on a high for Ruth and James though as the RTS awarded their prestigious Judges’ Award to the duo
Read More Gavin And Stacey stars James Corden and Ruth Jones enjoy RTS Awards reunion 
The night ended on a high for Ruth and James though as the RTS awarded their prestigious Judges’ Award to the duo, in recognition of their roles as creators and writers of the beloved BBC sitcom.
James and Ruth were introduced by legendary director and writer Richard Curtis who called Gavin and Stacey the ‘greatest romcom of all time.’
Ruth then opened their joint speech with a Nessa impression, delighting the crowd as she said ‘my husband and I are very touched.’
According to official Barb ratings figures, Gavin & Stacey the finale had been seen by 20.9m viewers.
That beats the last special in 2019 which at the same stage had an audience of 17.92m, rising to 18.49m after a month.
Gavin & Stacey brought in a whopping 12.3million viewers on Christmas Day, clinching the festive ratings top spot.
And in the weeks that followed it gained a huge boost to its audience, reaching 20.9million viewers after 28 days – breaking its own record from the 2019 Christmas special of 18.5million viewers in the same time period.
However its post-broadcast ratings have been gazumped by another BBC show, the iconic Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl.
The animation aired hours before Gavin and Stacey on Christmas Day but came second place behind the sitcom for the most on-the-day viewers.
The 90 minute 2024 special resolved the cliff hanger from five years before, when Nessa asked Smithy to marry her.
The comedy writers were nominated for best scripted comedy for the final Gavin & Stacey but in a shock snub, the show lost out to BBC Three sitcom Things You Should Have Done
The series, which debuted back in 2007 concluded with on/off lovers Smithy and Nessa finally declaring their love for one another and tying the knot, but not without a few hiccups along the way.
While fans tuned into the episode to see whether Smithy had accepted Nessa’s proposal from the 2019 Christmas Special, a five-year time jump revealed that he was indeed set to tie the knot, but all was not as it seemed.
It was revealed that Smithy had instead got engaged to his girlfriend Sonia, who failed to impress the Shipman/West clan when she met them in the last festive episode, with actress Laura Aikman’s return to the show kept a closely-guarded secret.
Fans were also treated to the surprise return of Sheridan Smith as Smithy’s sister Rudi, and Pam Ferris as his mum Cath.
Royal Television Society Awards Winners
Arts
My Sєxual Abuse: The Sitcom (Swan Films for Channel 4) – WINNER
In My Own Words: Alison Lapper (Chalk Productions for BBC)
Camden (Lightbox in ᴀssociation with Day One Pictures and Radical22 Productions for Disney+)
Children’s Programme
Dodo (Wildseed Studios, Toonz, Telegael for Sky Kids)
BMX All Stars (Big Deal Films for BBC)
Quentin Blake’s Box of Treasures (Eagle Eye Production for BBC) – WINNER
Comedy Entertainment
Have I Got News For You (Hat Trick Productions for BBC)
Sorry, I Didn’t Know (TriForce Productions for ITV1)
Junior Taskmaster (Avalon UK for Channel 4) – WINNER
Comedy Performance – Male
Jim Howick – Here We Go (BBC Studios Comedy Productions for BBC)
Nabhaan Rizwaan – Kaos (Sister for Netflix)
Oliver Savell – Changing Ends (Baby Cow Productions for ITV1) – WINNER
Documentary Series
To Catch a Copper (Story Films for Channel 4)
The Push: Murder on the Cliff (Candour Productions for Channel 4) – WINNER
On Thin Ice: Putin v Greenpeace (Curve Media Ltd for BBC)
Entertainment
Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway (Lifted Entertainment (Part of ITV Studios) in co-production with Mitre Studios for ITV1)
RuPaul’s Drag Race UK (World of Wonder for BBC)
The Traitors (Studio Lambert Scotland for BBC) – WINNER
Formatted Popular Factual
The Jury: Murder Trial (ScreenDog Productions for Channel 4)
Freddie Flintoff’s Field of Dreams on Tour (South Shore Productions for BBC) – WINNER
The Martin Lewis Money Show Live – Budget Special (MultiStory for ITV1)
Leading Actor – Female
Anna Maxwell Martin – Until I Kill You (World Productions for ITV1) – WINNER
Ambika Mod – One Day (A Drama Republic Production with Universal International Studios and Focus Features for Netflix)
Monica Dolan – Mr Bates vs The Post Office (ITV Studios and Little Gem for ITV1)
Limited Series and Single Drama
Mr Bates vs The Post Office (ITV Studios and Little Gem for ITV1)
This Town (Kudos, Nebulastar, co-produced with Mercury Studios, in ᴀssociation with Stigma Films for BBC) – WINNER
Breathtaking (HTM Television for ITV1)
Presenter
Liz Carr – Better Off ᴅᴇᴀᴅ? (Burning Bright Productions co-produced with the OU for BBC) – WINNER
Joe Tracini – Me And The Voice In My Head (Hungry Bear Media for Channel 4)
Zuhair Hᴀssan – Big Zuu Goes To Mecca (Acme TV for BBC)
Scripted Comedy
Things You Should Have Done (Roughcut TV for BBC) – WINNER
We Are Lady Parts (Working тιтle Television, which is part of Universal International Studios, a division of Universal Studio Group for Channel 4)
Gavin & Stacey: The Finale (Fulwell 73 Productions, Tidy Productions for BBC)
Soap and Continuing Drama
Casualty (BBC Studios Drama Productions for BBC) – WINNER
EastEnders (BBC Studios Drama Productions for BBC)
Hollyoaks (Lime Pictures for Channel 4)
Sports Programme
Paris 2024 Paralympics (Whisper for Channel 4)
Paris 2024 Olympics (BBC Sport for BBC) – WINNER
London Marathon 2024 (BBC Sport for BBC)
Supporting Actor – Male
Danny Dyer – Rivals (Happy Prince, part of ITV Studios for Disney+) – WINNER
McKinley Belcher III – Eric (Sister for Netflix)
Sonny Walker – The Gathering (World Productions for Channel 4)
Writer – Drama
Will Smith – Slow Horses (See-Saw Films in ᴀssociation with Apple for Apple TV+)
Peter Straughan – Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light (Playground Entertainment & Company Pictures for BBC and Masterpiece)
Dominic Treadwell-Collins and Laura Wade – Rivals (Happy Prince, part of ITV Studios for Disney+) – WINNER
Breakthrough Award
Josh Tedeku – Boarders (Studio Lambert for BBC) – WINNER
Michelle de Swarte – Spent (Various Artists Limited for BBC)
Bethany Asher – Sherwood (House Productions for BBC)
Comedy Drama
Boarders (Studio Lambert for BBC)
Alma’s Not Normal (Expectation for BBC) – WINNER
Ludwig (Big Talk Studios and That Mitchell & Webb Company for BBC)
Comedy Performance – Female
Aimee Lou Wood – Daddy Issues (Fudge Park Productions for BBC)
Michelle de Swarte – Spent (Various Artists Limited for BBC)
Sophie Willan – Alma’s Not Normal (Expectation for BBC) – WINNER
Daytime Programme
Loose Women (ITV Studios Daytime for ITV1) – WINNER
Clive Myrie’s Caribbean Adventure (Alleycats for BBC)
BBC Breakfast (BBC Breakfast for BBC)
Drama Series
Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light (Playground Entertainment and Company Pictures for BBC and Masterpiece)
Supacell (Netflix)
Industry (Bad Wolf for BBC in ᴀssociation with HBO) – WINNER
Entertainment Performance
Steven Frayne – Miracles (Expectation & Seventeen 17 for Sky Max)
Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly – Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway (Lifted Entertainment (Part of ITV Studios) in co-production with Mitre Studios for ITV1) – WINNERS
Claudia Winkleman – The Traitors (Studio Lambert Scotland for BBC)
History
Miners’ Strike 1984: The Battle for Britain (Swan Films for Channel 4)
Atomic People (Minnow Films for BBC) – WINNER
Helmand: Tour of Duty (Pᴀssion Pictures & Kailash Films for BBC)
Leading Actor – Male
Adeel Akhtar – Showtrial (World Productions for BBC)
Lennie James – Mr Loverman (Fable Pictures for BBC) – WINNER
Ben Whishaw – Black Doves (Sister & Noisy Bear for Netflix)
Live Event
Coldplay at Glastonbury 2024 (BBC Studios Music Productions for BBC)
The Martin Lewis Money Show Live – Budget Special (MultiStory for ITV1)
D Day 80: Tribute to the Fallen (BBC Studios Event Productions for BBC) – WINNER
Science & The Natural World
Silverback (Off the Fence & France Télévisions in ᴀssociation with Featuristic Films for BBC)
Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story (Silverback Films for National Geographic and Disney+) – WINNER
Living With Leopards (A Wild Space Production in ᴀssociation with Natural History Film Unit Botswana and Freeborne Media for Netflix)
Single Documentary
Undercover: Exposing The Far Right (Marking Films Inc and Tigerlily Productions for Channel 4)
Tell Them You Love Me (Mindhouse Productions for Sky Documentaries)
Hell Jumper (Expectation for BBC) – WINNER
Sports Presenter, Commentator or Pundit
Rose Ayling-Ellis and Clare Balding – Paris 2024 Paralympics (Whisper for Channel 4) – WINNERS
Ian Wright – Euro 2024 (ITV Sport for ITV)
Michael Johnson – Paris 2024 Olympics (BBC Sport for BBC)
Supporting Actor – Female
Monica Dolan – Sherwood (House Productions for BBC)
Katherine Parkinson – Rivals (Happy Prince, part of ITV Studios for Disney+)
Jessica Gunning – Baby Reindeer (Clerkenwell Films for Netflix) – WINNER
Writer – Comedy
Writing Team – Cunk on Life (Broke and Bones for BBC and Netflix)
Sophie Willan – Alma’s Not Normal (Expectation for BBC) – WINNER
Nida Manzoor – We Are Lady Parts (Working тιтle Television, which is part of Universal International Studios, a division of Universal Studio Group for Channel 4)
Judges Award
Ruth Jones and James Corden for Gavin and Stacey – WINNER
