TV talent shows miss out at Royal Television Society Awards

Simon Cowell's two Saturday night ITV talent shows were beaten in the entertainment category by BBC4's Newswipe With Charlie Brooker, prompting a huge cheer from the crowd at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London.

Ratings winners The X Factor and Britain's Got Talent were snubbed tonight at the Royal Television Society Awards.

Simon Cowell's two Saturday night ITV talent shows were beaten in the entertainment category by BBC4's Newswipe With Charlie Brooker, prompting a huge cheer from the crowd at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London.

BBC comedy The Thick Of It, written by Armando Ianucci and starring Peter Capaldi as a foul-mouthed government spin doctor, beat The Inbetweeners and Miranda to the title of best scripted comedy.

Experimental chef Heston Blumenthal picked up the gong in the features and lifestyle series category for his Channel 4 series Heston's Feasts.

The programme, in which he recreated weird and wonderful Victorian recipes, beat BBC3 series Don't Tell The Bride and Channel 4's The Sex Education Show vs Pornography.

There was a further blow for Britain's Got Talent judge Piers Morgan.

He was beaten to the award for best presenter by Louis Theroux, who clinched the title for his BBC documentary A Place For Paedophiles in which he interviewed and sought to understand convicted paedophiles in America.

Slick American advertising drama Mad Men, which stars John Hamm and Christina Hendricks, won in the international category, while Big And Small - Blame It On The Drain picked up the award for best children's programme.

BBC soap EastEnders, which celebrated its 25th anniversary this year, beat The Bill and Casualty in the soap and continuing drama category.

BBC drama The Street, created by Bafta-winning writer Jimmy McGovern, won the prize for best drama series. The show was axed last year after its third series, which featured an ensemble cast including Stephen Graham and Anna Friel.

Naomie Harris beat Julie Walters and Suranne Jones to the title of best actress for her performance in BBC One's Small Island.

At the ceremony, which was hosted by Gavin and Stacey star Rob Brydon, she thanked her mother, saying: "My mum was my accent coach. Without her I don't think Hortense would have been half as good as she was."

In a double win for the adaptation of Andrea Levy's book Small Island, David Oyelowo picked up the award for best actor.