So too do Detectorists and Jessica Hynes

Matt Berry, Jessica Hynes and Mackenzie Crooks’ BBC Four comedy Detectorists all won Batas tonight.

Berry won a Bafta award for best male performance in his comedy show for his role as actor Stephen Toast in Toast Of London, triumphing over fellow nominees Hugh Bonneville for W1A, Tom Hollander for Rev and Brendan O’Carroll for Mrs Browns Boys.

Acccepting has award, Berry thanked Channel 4, saying: 'No one really makes these kind of shows any more.'

Hynes won best female performance in a comedy show for her role in W1A ahead of fellow nominees Olivia Colman (Rev), Tamin Grieg (Episodes) and Catherine Tate for her show as Nan.

Hynes used her speech to plead against cuts to state education for people in low-income families, saying: ‘I don’t think low income means low talent or low education or low intelligence.’

And she urged colleagues and viewers to support the work of Arts Emergency, a charity set up by Josie Long and others which aims to improve access to the arts. ‘Without organisations like that, [and the] people who have supported me all the way through my career - thank you, everyone, this is for you - without them, I wouldn’t be here.’

Detectorists was named best sitcom over Moone Boy, The Wrong Mans and Harry & Paul’s Story Of The Twos – even if the latter was more technically a sketch show.

The best comedy/comedy entertainment show went to Graham Norton’s BBC 1 talk show, depriving Charlie Brooker, Stewart Lee and Would I Lie To You of the accolade. Norton also presented tonight’s ceremony from the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.

And Brooker led tributes to Clive James, who received a special award earlier this year but was too ill to attend tonight, so sent video message instead.

Published: 11 May 2015