Comic Vegas wins best newcomer TV award

Johnny Vegas has been named Best Newcomer at the British Royal Television Society programme awards.

The bearded comedian, famous for the ITV On-digital adverts with Monkey, took the glory for his role in BBC2's Happiness.

Ant and Dec were named Best Presenters for SM:TV Live, beating Rolf Harris who added a little extra colour by turning up for the awards in a shocking pink and black silk jacket.

Vegas said: "The nominations showed a fat bloke getting out of bed and I truly didn't think I was going to win.

"I guess, because I am not an actor, I am one of those who will do all the stuff no trained actor will do and they think, 'Let's get him now before he gets any pride'."

EastEnders won Best Soap seeing off competition from Doctors and Hollyoaks. BBC2's The Weakest Link won Best Daytime programme while BBC1's Clocking Off took Best Drama.

There was more success for BBC2 as its drama Perfect Strangers picked up awards for Best Serial or Single Drama and creator Stephen Poliakoff went home with the Best Writer award.

Best Actress went to Diane Parish for her part in BBC2's Babyfather.

Alistair McGowan picked up Best Entertainment Performance award for his Big Impression comedy show, while David Suchet took Best Actor for The Way We Live Now, a BBC1 costume drama.

He pipped Ricky Gervais for Best Actor but the comedy writer's show The Office won Best Comedy.