Corrie scoops highbrow award

It's a long way from Weatherfield to the posh surroundings of The Savoy hotel.

But it was worth the trip when regulars from The Rover's Return collected a highbrow award for Coronation Street yesterday. The long-running show was named best TV drama at the South Bank Show awards - a first for a soap opera. It beat Channel 4's critically acclaimed Shameless and one-off drama Dirty Filthy Love.

Little Britain was named best comedy and Franz Ferdinand claimed the pop award for their eponymous debut album.

Film director Ken Russell tried to disrupt the gala by heckling Little Britain's Matt Lucas and David Walliams.

Walliams said: 'It is slightly unusual to be heckled at the South Bank Show awards. Perhaps he's just a really big fan.'