THE Royal Television Society (RTS) Awards for the North East and Border region are set to make a return in 2022 after this year's event was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Organisers have confirmed the Hilton NewcastleGateshead will host the celebration on Saturday February 26 2022. The event is the region’s biggest awards ceremony for showcasing excellence in television and media production.

The awards will recognise the work of programme makers who created television and other content despite lockdowns and other restrictions imposed by the pandemic.

Entries are now open for broadcasters, production teams and content creators to submit their work for the 2022 awards which will cover the past two years of news, current affairs and

programme making to name just a few of the categories.

In response to the pandemic, the 2022 awards will include two new categories: Pandemic Production Innovation (Drama) and Pandemic Production Innovation (News and Factual) to

recognise how production teams found solutions and systems to safely work within Covid-19 restrictions and lockdown rules.

Will Nicholson, RTS North East & Border Region Centre chair, said: “It is two years since we were last able to recognise the work of creatives in this region. Therefore, it is only right

that amongst the usual categories for drama, current affairs, entertainment and production excellence, we introduce additional awards to mark the extraordinary innovations deployed to

create content during lockdowns and pandemic restrictions. All the team at the Royal Television Society are looking forward to the return of the awards.”

More than 50 media professionals judge entries submitted for the awards each year with more than 100 submitted for the 2019 awards.

The 2019 RTS awards was one of the last major events to take place in the region before lockdown restrictions were imposed. The ceremony was hosted by Tyneside Comedian and

Broadcaster Jason Cook with celebrity guests including Steph McGovern, Brenda Blethyn, Simon McCoy and voice of Strictly Come Dancing, Alan Dedicoat.