BBC ALBA has been successful at the Royal Television Society Scotland Awards 2016 with the channel’s Jim Baxter programme, produced by purpleTV, winning the Best Sports Programme category.

The award ceremony took place at Òran Mòr, Glasgow last night (Wednesday 25 May) and was hosted by newsreader, Catriona Shearer and popular TV actor, Sanjeev Kohli, with awards being presented across 13 categories, including Best News Programme, Best Current Affairs, Best Live Event and Television Journalist of the Year.

The Jim Baxter film, presented by Alex O’Henley, provided an intimate portrayal of the personal and professional life of the renowned Scottish football legend who died of pancreatic cancer in 2001 at the age of 61.

Tartan Pride, also produced by purpleTV for BBC ALBA had been shortlisted in this award category. Tartan Pride, again presented by Alex O’Henley, documented the rivalry between Scotland and England since the world’s first ever international fixture, the ‘Auld Enemy’, was staged in Glasgow in 1872.

Technical awards included Best Camera, Best Sound and Best Post Production: Editing where Vilte Vaitkute, editor of media co-op’s ‘The Wee Govan Pipers / Pìobairean Beaga Bhaile Ghobhainn’ documentary, produced for BBC ALBA, had been nominated. The hour long documentary was about the setting up of a children’s pipe band in the Govan area of Glasgow.

Alan Esslemont, head of content for BBC ALBA was delighted to see BBC ALBA together with purpleTV achieve further success at the RTS Scotland awards having won the Best Sport Programme for the Jock Stein documentary in 2015.

Mr Esslemont said: “BBC ALBA is thrilled to see the Jim Baxter production claim this prestigious Royal Television Society Scotland award and we congratulate purpleTV on their latest success. The sport documentaries produced for the channel have always been very popular across a wide spectrum of BBC ALBA viewers and it is wonderful to achieve this industry recognition.

“To have had three programmes shortlisted in this year’s RTS Scotland awards and win one category is a huge testament to the high quality content available on BBC ALBA across a variety of programme genres.”

The RTS awards are the gold standard of achievement in the television industry recognising excellence across the entire range of programme making and broadcasting skills.