Cowell and Branagh among top winners at the UK’s BAFTA Awards

(AFP PHOTO/ WARREN ALLOTT)

Britain's top television awards were presented at the Palladium Theater in London and televised on the BBC1, June 6, with prizes spread between several shows.

The Best Actor award was given to Kenneth Branagh (Valkyrie, The Boat That Rocked) for his Scandinavian detective series Wallander. The all-star awards ceremony also recognized actress Julie Walters (Harry Potter' films, Mamma Mia!) who received the Best Actress prize for the political biopic Mo.

Matthew Macfadyen won new supporting actor award and Rebecca Hall took the new supporting actress awards.

Best Comedy awards went to Peter Capaldi and Rebecca Front, stars of political satire The Thick of It. The show also won Best Sitcom. BAFTA also presented a special prize for The Inbetweeners, voted on by YouTube, for best comedy series.

The International prize went to Mad Men, the advertising drama set in the US circa 1950s, beating the animated Family Guy and HBO vampire drama True Blood.

Simon Cowell received a special BAFTA award for Outstanding Contribution to the Entertainment Industry, citing show such as The X Factor, American Idol and Britain's Got Talent and was recognized for developing new talent.

The full list of winners is available at: http://bafta.org

RC