A TV series starring Belfast-born Kenneth Branagh has won a coveted BAFTA award.

Wallander, in which Branagh played a angst-ridden Swedish detective, was named best drama at the lavish Bafta TV awards in |London’s Royal Festival Hall last night.

Ken praised the BBC for commissioning the drama, adapted from a best-selling series of books by Henning Mankell.

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“They took a risk in wondering whether the world would be interested in the troubled life of a melancholy Scandinavian, but as I have spent half my life trying to make a living doing that, it wasn't such a stretch for me,” he said.

Wallander triumphed over Spooks, Doctor Who and gritty Channel 4 comedy-drama Shameless.

The award came 20 years after Branagh won a film Bafta for Henry V.

Meanwhile, in the news coverage category Belfast-born TV reporter Bill Neely was part of the News at Ten team which won for its work on the Chinese earthquake.

Bill, who is international editor for ITV News, began his career with BBC Northern Ireland.

The IT Crowd — penned by Father Ted co-writer Graham Linehan from Co Meath — won the award for best comedy.

Glamorous One Show co-presenter Christine Bleakley presented an award at the beginning of the night.

In other categories, the X Factor won the top entertainment programme Bafta while The Bill defeated Casualty, Emmerdale and EastEnders to take home the Bafta for continuing drama.

Harry Hill received a gong for best entertainment performance in Harry Hill’s TV Burp, beating controversial BBC presenter Jonathan Ross.

But June Brown, who plays Dot Cotton in EastEnders, went home empty-handed after losing out in the best actress stakes to Anna Maxwell Martin, who won for her role in Poppy Shakespeare.

BAFTA WINNERS

The full list of winners at the 2009 Bafta television awards:

Actor

Stephen Dillane - The Shooting Of Thomas Hurndall

Actress

Anna Maxwell Martin - Poppy Shakespeare

Entertainment performance

Harry Hill - Harry Hill's TV Burp

Comedy performance

David Mitchell - Peep Show

Single drama

White Girl

Drama series

Wallander

Drama serial

Criminal Justice

Continuing drama

The Bill

International

Mad Men

Factual series

Amazon with Bruce Parry

Specialist factual

Life In Cold Blood

Single documentary

Chosen (True Stories)

Features

The Choir: Boys Don't Sing

Current affairs

Saving Africa's Witch Children (Dispatches)

News coverage

News At Ten - Chinese Earthquake

Sport

ITV1 - F1: Brazilian Grand Prix 2008

Interactivity

Embarrassing Bodies Online

Entertainment programme

X Factor

Comedy programme

Harry And Paul

Situation comedy

The IT Crowd

Philips Audience Award

Skins

Special Award

Jane Tranter

Academy Fellowship

Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders