One of America's most popular television shows, Friends, has been named as best international programme at the annual British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards.

The comedy-soap, watched by millions around the world, took the award at the annual event which was attended by the UK's biggest TV names.

BBC Television took the largest number of awards overall for programmes ranging from comedy through drama to factual television.

And two of the UK's leading television journalists were among those who received special awards at the 1998 Bafta Television Awards ceremony.

David Dimbleby: Praised for his work for BBC

The BBC's David Dimbleby received the award named after his father, Richard, for the most important personal contribution to factual television.

He said his father would have been tickled to see his son pick up the award named after himself.

"It means a lot to me because of the qualities that he brought to television, like plain speaking and listening and remembering what you asked and doing it on behalf of a television audience who wish they were actually asking those questions," he said. "I've tried to follow in my father's footsteps and use those qualities".

Investigative reporter Roger Cook received the Special Award for his 25 years of exposing unscrupulous criminals.

Mr Cook said: "I'm told this is normally the kind of award you get when you are deceased or retired and my agent tells me I'm neither."

The BBC's Panorama current affairs series took an award for the Valentina's Story documentary while the team which produced television graphics for the UK 1997 General Election was also applauded.

Paul Whitehouse: Brilliant! As he would say on the Fast Show

Comedy series The Fast Show took two awards while I'm Alan Partridge, following the fortunes of possibly the world's worst radio personality, was named best comedy series.

Real Video: Paul Whitehouse as the cockney thief in The Fast Show

Programmes originated by BBC2 walked away with a number of awards, including best actress for Daniela Nardini for her part as ambitious solicitor in the hit drama series This Life.

Daniela Nardini: Enjoying this life

Bafta awarded the Academy Fellowship to former BBC executive Bill Cotton and the Alan Clarke award for outstanding creative contribution to television went to Ted Childs, the former executive producer of Inspector Morse and the Paradise Club.

Daniela Nardini says receiving a Bafta feels strange(1'11")

Other BBC productions receiving awards were acclaimed drama serials Holding On and Jonathan Creek and the historic documentary series The Nazis - A warning from History.

Main 1998 BAFTA Television winners

Best actress: Daniela Nardini, This Life
Best actor: Simon Russell Beale, A Dance to the Music of Time
Best light entertainment performance: Paul Whitehouse, The Fast Show
Best comedy performance: Steve Coogan, I'm Alan Partridge
Best single drama: No Child of Mine, Peter Kosminsky, Guy Hibbert
Best drama series: Jonathan Creek, Susan Belbin, David Renwick
Best drama serial: Holding On, David Snodin, Adrian Shergold, Tony Marchant
Best factual series: The Nazis - A Warning from History, Laurence Rees
Best light entertainment: The Fast Show, Charlie Higson, Paul Whitehouse, Mark Mylod
Best comedy: I'm Alan Partridge, Armando Iannucci, Dominic Brigstocke, Peter Baynham, Steve Coogan
Best International programme: Friends
Huw Wheldon Award for the best arts programme: Gilbert and George (The South Bank Show), Gerald Fox
Best news and current affairs journalism: Valentina's story, Mike Robinson
Flaherty Documentary Award: The Grave (True Stories) Belinda Giles
Lew Grade Audience Award: A Touch of Frost
Alan Clarke Award: Ted Childs OBE
Richard Dimbleby Award: David Dimbleby
Special Award: Roger Cook
The Fellowship: Bill Cotton

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