The UK scored major victories at the 2025 International Emmy Awards, with Rivals and Ludwig securing two of the night’s biggest prizes. The awards ceremony, held in New York, celebrated the finest television productions created and aired outside the United States — and British series dominated the spotlight.
‘Rivals’ Wins Best Drama Series
Disney+ drama Rivals, adapted from Dame Jilly Cooper’s 1988 novel, won Best Drama Series. Starring David Tennant, Danny Dyer, and Emily Atack, the show explores scandals, rivalries, and power struggles in the fictional English county of Rutshire.
The win comes as the hit series prepares for its second season, with Rupert Everett and Hayley Atwell joining the upcoming cast.
‘Ludwig’ Takes Best Comedy & Big Night for Anna Maxwell-Martin
BBC comedy-drama Ludwig, starring Anna Maxwell-Martin and David Mitchell, earned the Best Comedy award. The series, which became a viewer favorite in late 2024, is also set to return for a follow-up.
It was an especially memorable night for Anna Maxwell-Martin, who also won Best Actress for her gripping performance in ITV’s true-crime series Until I Kill You. The drama is based on Delia Balmer’s autobiography, detailing her harrowing relationship with serial killer John Sweeney.
International Winners Across Categories
Spanish actor Oriol Pla won Best Actor for the Disney+ drama Yo, Adicto, which follows a man undergoing treatment for addiction.
Other UK productions also claimed awards across key categories:
Best Documentary – BBC Two’s Hell Jumper, portraying volunteers’ first-person experiences in Ukraine
Best Current Affairs – Channel 4’s Dispatches: Kill Zone: Inside Gaza, examining the lives of Palestinians affected by Israeli military attacks
Best TV Movie/Mini-Series – BBC’s Lost Boys and Fairies, telling the story of a gay couple navigating the adoption process
Best Children’s Live Action – Apple TV’s Fallen, following teenager Lucinda Price as she adjusts to life in a rehab facility
Global Highlights from the International Emmys
Australia’s much-loved animated series Bluey continued its worldwide success, winning the Children’s Animation category. The award for Non-Scripted Entertainment went to Denmark’s Shaolin Heroes, a reality series about contestants leaving their everyday lives to pursue martial arts training.
The strong showing from UK productions underscores the country’s continued influence in global television — with compelling dramas, inventive comedies, and impactful documentaries claiming top recognition on the international stage.
