Comedies lead RTS Award shortlist

 This Country and Chewing Gum lead the comedy nominations in this year’s Royal Television Society Awards.

Both have been nominated for best scripted comedy, best comedy writer and best comedy performance for its stars.

This Country is written by and stars brother and sister duo Daisy May and Charlie Cooper; while Chewing Gumis written by and stars Michaela Coel.

No comedy nominated in any section of the awards airs on a terrestrial channel – and all star the person who created it, suggesting a preference for 'authored' programmes. All are on BBC Three except for Chewing Gum, which is an E4 show.

The scripted comedy shortlist is completed by People Just Do Nothing, with its writers Steve Stamp and Allan Mustafa up for that award.

And the third nominee for comedy performance is Tom Davis for Murder In Successville, which he created and which is also up for best entertainment programme. 

The Last Leg team of Adam Hills, Alex Brooker and Josh Widdecombe are up for best entertainment performance.

Winners will be announced at a ceremony, hosted by Vernon Kay, at the Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane, London on Tuesday March 20.

The comedy and entertainment nominees in full

Scripted Comedy

• People Just Do Nothing, Roughcut TV for BBC Three

• This Country, BBC Studios Comedy for BBC Three

• Chewing Gum, Retort for E4

Writer – Comedy

• Steve Stamp and Allan Mustafa - People Just Do Nothing, Roughcut TV for BBC Three

• Daisy May Cooper and Charlie Cooper - This Country, BBC Studios Comedy for BBC Three

• Michaela Coel - Chewing Gum, Retort for E4

Comedy Performance

• Daisy May Cooper and Charlie Cooper – This Country, BBC Studios Comedy for BBC Three

• Tom Davis – Murder In Successville, Tiger Aspect in association with Shiny Button Productions for BBC Three

• Michaela Coel – Chewing Gum, Retort for E4

Entertainment

• Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway, ITV Studios and Mitre Television for ITV

• Murder in Successville, Tiger Aspect in association with Shiny Button Productions for BBC Three

• Love Island, ITV Studios/Motion Content Group for ITV2

Entertainment Performance

• Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly - I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!, ITV Studios for ITV

• Claudia Winkleman - Strictly Come Dancing, BBC Studios for BBC One

• Adam Hills, Alex Brooker and Josh Widdecombe - The Last Leg, Open Mike Productions for Channel 4

Published: 7 Mar 2018