After his agonising loss to David Tennant in the final round of the RadioTimes.com Television Champion competition last month, Benedict Cumberbatch finally has his revenge, beating out the former Doctor Who star at last night’s TV Choice awards in the Best Actor category for his performance in Sherlock.


The BBC1 detective drama also triumphed in the Best Drama Series category, while elsewhere writer Sally Wainwright’s Happy Valley took home the Best New Drama gong and Best Actress for Sarah Lancashire.

By this point, Game of Thrones is probably using awards for paperweights (or melting them down to make a big chair) but it still picked up the Best International Show prize at the London awards.

A great night of achievement for all, no doubt – but a pyrrhic victory for Cumberbatch. We know that all the awards in the world won’t fill the TV Champion-shaped hole in his heart.

Full list of winners below

Best soap – EastEnders

Best new drama – Happy Valley

Best drama series – Sherlock

Special contribution to television – EastEnders

Special contribution to television – Ant and Dec

Best actor – Benedict Cumberbatch, Sherlock

Best actress – Sarah Lancashire, Happy Valley

Best comedy – Benidorm

Best reality show – I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!

Best talent show – Britain’s Got Talent

Best entertainment show – Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway

Best factual entertainment and lifestyle show – Educating Yorkshire

Best daytime show – The Jeremy Kyle Show

Best food show – Gordon Ramsay’s Home Cooking

Best international show – Game Of Thrones

Best soap actor – Danny Dyer, EastEnders

Best soap newcomer – Kirsty-Leigh Porter, Hollyoaks

Best soap actress – Lindsey Coulson, EastEnders


Best soap storyline – Hayley’s Cancer, Coronation Street