Sir Salman Rushdie and Prima Facie amongst winners of South Bank Sky Arts Awards
Veteran broadcaster Melvyn Bragg hosted the annual ceremony at The Savoy Hotel in London on Sunday, celebrating a broad vary of creative genres together with dance, theatre, music, TV and movie.
The Satanic Verses creator Sir Salman was handed the excellent achievement award for his “impressive body of work” over the past 5 a long time, together with profitable the Booker Prize in 1981 for his second novel Midnight’s Children.
Sir Salman, 76, mentioned: “This is a high honour indeed, and I’m delighted to be receiving it in the company of so many extraordinary figures in so many different arts, all being recognised for exceptional work.
“Artists, of all sorts, make up a community I’m proud to belong to, and it’s good to be celebrating that community together.”
It comes nearly a 12 months after Sir Salman was stabbed repeatedly whereas on stage at a literary competition in New York state.
Iran’s Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini had condemned as blasphemous passages referring to the Prophet Muhammad in Sir Salman’s 1988 novel The Satanic Verses.
Khomeini issued a decree the next 12 months calling for the author’s dying, forcing the creator into hiding – though he had been travelling freely for years earlier than final summer season’s stabbing.
Meanwhile, Prima Facie at London’s Harold Pinter Theatre – which sees Killing Eve star Comer as a defence lawyer who leads to the witness field – took residence the theatre award.
It comes after Comer received her first Tony award and Olivier award for her function in Suzie Miller’s one-woman manufacturing, which is at present on Broadway.
Aftersun, which secured lead actor Paul Mescal an Oscar nomination this 12 months, received for movie, whereas the highly-anticipated return of Sally Wainwright’s BBC sequence Happy Valley received within the TV drama class.
Amputee dancer Musa Motha, who left decide Simon Cowell “speechless” after his efficiency within the Britain’s Got Talent closing this 12 months, obtained The Times breakthrough award celebrating rising expertise.
Ivor Novello-winning singer-songwriter Raye took residence the pop award for her critically acclaimed debut studio album My twenty first Century Blues, and the Royal Ballet’s Light Of Passage picked up the accolade for dance.
Tom Crewe’s debut novel The New Life, exploring homosexuality in nineteenth century Britain, scooped the literature prize – and Jack Rooke’s fashionable Channel 4 comedy sequence Big Boys received for comedy.
The winners had been offered with a bespoke trophy designed by earlier South Bank Sky Arts Awards winner and artist Sir Grayson Perry, impressed by slip solid Staffordshire figures.
Host Bragg mentioned: “As demonstrated by our winners and performers at this year’s South Bank Sky Arts Awards, British artists are continuing to excel themselves in every genre.
“The indomitable spirit of the arts in Britain goes from strength to strength – an example for all other industries.”
The ceremony noticed performances from singer-songwriter Self Esteem, saxophonist Jess Gillam, Norwegian soprano Lise Davidsen, and singer-songwriter Enny.
South Bank Sky Arts Awards will air on Sky Arts, Freeview and streaming service Now on July 5 at 10pm.