Merseyside stars and shows are in the running for a series of major awards after the Royal Television Society (RTS) North West announced the nominations for its 2026 Awards. The awards celebrate the programmes, performances and production talent helping to cement the North West as one of the UK's leading television and creative production hubs.
Across 24 categories, this year's nominations bring together some of the region's biggest productions and best-known creative talent. Productions shot in Merseyside, such as ITV comedy G'wed and BBC drama Unforgivable, are among the programmes recognised. Our Girls: The Southport Families has been nominated for Best Current Affairs Programme and Best Single Documentary.
Leading acting and writing talent recognised
Merseyside-born actors recognised include Bobby Schofield for Unforgivable, David Morrissey for Tip Toe, Josh Finan for Waiting for the Out, and Sue Johnston for Big Winners. Scouse writer Jimmy McGovern is nominated for Unforgivable.
For the first time this year, visual podcasts are eligible for recognition within the Best Digital Content category. Nominees in the category include I'd Do Anything for Hollyoaks, Solve The Story, Stick to Football and Truth or Dare.
Judges praise quality and breadth of entries
Cameron Roach, chair of RTS North West, said: “The strength and breadth of this year's nominations is a brilliant reflection of the television being made across the North West and the extraordinary talent behind it. From some of the UK's most established names to the next generation of breakthrough talent, these awards are about celebrating the people and productions that make this region such an important part of our television industry. We're particularly pleased to recognise visual podcasts for the first time this year, reflecting how quickly our industry continues to evolve and the exciting new forms of content being created here.”
Pam Cavannagh, chair of judges for the RTS North West Awards, added: “The quality of entries this year made judging no easy task. What really stood out was the range of work being produced across the region, from powerful drama and current affairs to comedy, children's programming, digital content and exceptional craft. Congratulations to everyone nominated. Reaching the shortlist is a fantastic achievement and testament to the creativity and talent working across the North West.”
Winners announced in November
The winners will be announced at the RTS North West Awards 2026 on Friday, November 20 at Manchester's Kimpton Clocktower Hotel, with over 600 people expected to attend.
