Steve Hewlett wins posthumous Royal Television Society award

Steve Hewlett had said he looked forward to collecting the award

Broadcaster Steve Hewlett has posthumously been given a top honour at the Royal Television Society awards.

Hewlett died at the age of 58 last month, having shared his experience of coping with cancer on BBC Radio 4.

He was told of the honour in January, saying he was "touched" by the accolade. Awards chair Stewart Purvis said he had "achieved so much".

A scholarship has been launched in his name to help students from lower income families studying broadcast journalism.

One recipient each year will be presented with the Steve Hewlett Scholarship, which has been set up by the RTS and The Media Society. As well as a financial contribution to their studies, the recipient will be mentored by RTS members and former colleagues of Hewlett.

Hewlett's sons collected the judges' award on his behalf.

'There's no one like Steve'

The Media Show presenter and Guardian journalist married his partner Rachel Crellin earlier in February, after being told he did not have long to live.

Hewlett had spoken movingly about his cancer journey on the PM programme with Eddie Mair, who announced his death on the show on 20 February.

Purvis said: "The panel chose a winner who achieved so much on screen and off screen, over the course of his career and very particularly in the past year.

"I phoned the winner and that's how I got to tell Steve Hewlett that he had won the judges' award. Steve told me he was honoured and touched to have won. He looked forward to receiving it on 1 March.

"I don't think there has ever been anybody in broadcasting quite like Steve Hewlett. And probably never will be again."

RTS Television Journalism Awards winners

• Daily news programme of the year: Channel 4

• Television journalist of the year: Matt Frei

• News coverage - international: Channel 4

• News coverage - home: BBC Six and Ten O'Clock News, prisons special

• News channel of the year: BBC News Channel

• Breaking news: Sky News, Brussels terror attack

• Scoop of the year: Sky News, IS Files report

• Interview of the year: Sky News, Faisal Islam interviews David Cameron

• Specialist journalist of the year: Lisa Holland, Sky News

• Network presenter of the year: Tom Bradby, ITV News at Ten

• Young talent of the year: Waad al-Kateab

• Camera operator of the year: Waad al-Kateab

Full list of winners

Two of the awards went to Syrian film-maker Waad al-Kateab, who was granted a visa by the Foreign Office to travel to the UK after leaving her home country.

She won the young talent of the year award and was named camera operator of the year, the first time that award has been given to a woman.