Musician turned cosmologist Professor Brian Cox has confirmed his status as one of the hottest properties in television with a double win at the Broadcasting Press Guild Awards.
Cox, whose Wonders of the Universe will come to an end this weekend, was named best performer in a non-acting role while his earlier BBC2 hit, Wonders of the Solar System, was named best documentary series. It follows a double win for Cox at the Royal Television Society awards earlier this month.
ITV1's drama series Downton Abbey and Channel 4's Mo Mowlam biopic Mo were also double winners at the awards held at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, on Friday.
And there was a prize for actor Graham Seed, who played Nigel Pargetter in the Archers for 27 years before his character fell to his death from a roof in a controversial storyline to mark the soap's 60th birthday at the start of 2010.
Downton Abbey beat BBC1's Sherlock to be named best drama series of 2010, with its creator Julian Fellowes picking up the writer's award. But there was some consolation for Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch, who won the best actor prize.
Julie Walters was named best actress for her title role in Mo, which was also named best single drama.
Miranda Hart, a multiple award-winner at the Royal Television Society and British Comedy Awards for her BBC2 sitcom Miranda picked up yet another gong, winning best comedy show.
Last year's Channel 4's Cutting Edge documentary My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding – since turned into a hit series – won best single documentary, while BBC1's The Apprentice won the best factual entertainment prize.
The innovation award went to the 2010 leader election television debates, while the multichannel gong went to Gold's Fry and Laurie: Reunited.
Coronation Street creator Tony Warren picked up the Harvey Lee award for outstanding contribution to broadcasting to mark the soap's 50th anniversary at the end of 2010.
Former Archers' cast member Seed was named radio broadcaster of the year, the first time an actor has won the award, with BBC Radio 4's Ed Reardon's Week winning the best radio programme prize.
Now in their 37th year and voted for by journalists who write about TV and radio, the awards are sponsored by Dave, part of UKTV.
Broadcasting Press Guild awards: the winners
Best single drama
Mo
(An ITV Studios production for Channel 4)
Best drama series
Downton Abbey
(A Carnival Films/Masterpiece co-production for ITV1)
Best single documentary
Cutting Edge: My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding
(A Firecracker Films production for Cutting Edge on Channel 4)
Best documentary series
Wonders of the Solar System
(A BBC Factual London and Science Channel co-production for BBC Two)
Best comedy
Miranda
(A BBC Comedy production for BBC Two)
Best factual entertainment
The Apprentice
(A TalkbackThames production for BBC One)
Best multichannel programme
Fry and Laurie: Reunited
(A Tiger Aspect production for GOLD)
Best actor
Benedict Cumberbatch
(Sherlock Holmes in Sherlock, for BBC One)
Best actress
Julie Walters
(Mo Mowlam in Mo, for Channel 4)
Best TV performer in a non-acting role
Professor Brian Cox for Wonders of the Solar System
(A BBC Factual London and Science Channel co-production for BBC Two)
Writer's award
Julian Fellowes
(Downton Abbey, a Carnival Films/Masterpiece co-production for ITV1)
Radio broadcaster of the year
Graham Seed
(Nigel Pargetter in The Archers, a BBC Radio production for BBC Radio 4)
Radio programme of the year
Ed Reardon's Week
(A BBC Radio production for BBC Radio 4)
Innovation award
The 2010 Leader Election Debates on Television (BBC, ITV & Sky)
Harvey Lee award for outstanding contribution to broadcasting
Tony Warren, creator of Coronation Street
• To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email editor@mediatheguardian.com or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication".
• To get the latest media news to your desktop or mobile, follow MediaGuardian on Twitter and Facebook
