Kaplinsky triumphs in newsroom and on dance floor with awards hat-trick

She has brought a touch of glamour to BBC news, adding ballroom dancing to her skills as a presenter. Now Natasha Kaplinsky's talents have been recognised by television and radio insiders.

She has brought a touch of glamour to BBC news, adding ballroom dancing to her skills as a presenter. Now Natasha Kaplinsky's talents have been recognised by television and radio insiders.

Kaplinsky was named best newscaster at the Television and Radio Industries Club (Tric) awards yesterday, beating her fellow BBC news presenters Hugh Edwards and George Alagiah as well as ITV News's Nicholas Owen to the title.

In a hat-trick for the 32-year-old presenter, two of her shows were also voted the best in their category. BBC Breakfast , the early-morning news and current affairs show she co-hosts with Dermot Murnaghan, won best TV daytime programme, against competition from ITV's This Morning and Channel 4's Richard & Judy .

Strictly Come Dancing , the hit BBC1 ballroom dancing contest that Kaplinsky has won, and presented, was fêted as the best TV entertainment programme, triumphing over Friday Night with Jonathan Ross and Top Gear .

Kaplinsky, who turned up for the awards ceremony in tight black leather trousers, described her award for best newscaster as a "huge honour". She said: "Despite all the sequins and other exciting things I have done this year I'm so thrilled to still be considered a newscaster. Although we sit there on the sofa and read the news and tell you what you need to know, actually it's the team who work so hard."

The presenter joined BBC Breakfast from Sky News in 2002, replacing Sophie Raworth. After studying English at Oxford, the presenter worked in the press offices of Neil Kinnock and John Smith, before anchoring Meridian's evening news programme. From there she moved to Carlton's London Tonight , joining Sky in 2000.

A glitzier side to the newscaster was revealed last year, when she won the first series of Strictly Come Dancing . Yesterday, she accepted the award for the show along with the series two winner Jill Halfpenny, contestant Julian Clary and her former dance partner Brendan Cole.

The BBC emerged with the most trophies from yesterday's lunchtime awards ceremony at the Grosvenor House Hotel n London, with BBC programmes and presenters winning in 12 out of 17 categories. The comedian Ronnie Corbett, whose double act with Ronnie Barker is about to be commemorated on BBC1 in The Two Ronnies Sketchbook , won the Tric special award, and the R&B singer Jamelia was named best music personality.

Little Britain , which was promoted from the digital channel BBC3 to BBC1, won best TV comedy.

TRIC WINNERS

Satellite/Digital TV Personality, Richard Hammond

Radio/Digital Radio Personality, Jonathan Ross

TV Personality, Ant & Dec

Sports Presenter, John Inverdale

Newscaster/Reporter, Natasha Kaplinsky

TV Weather Presenter, Sian Lloyd

New TV Talent, Richard Hammond

Music Personality, Jamelia

TV Music & Arts Programme, Himalaya

Satellite/Digital Programme, I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here Now!

Radio/Digital Programme, I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue

TV Comedy, Little Britain

TV Daytime Programme, BBC Breakfast

Soap of the Year, Coronation Street

TV Drama, Spooks

Entertainment, Strictly Come Dancing

TRIC Special Award, Ronnie Corbett