The Who honoured for lifetime achievement
Wednesday, 24 Jan 2007 14:12
The Who's Pete Townshend
Legendary rockers The Who have received an award for lifetime achievement at London's South Bank Show awards.
Band members Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend were presented with the prize last night by ITV's new chairman Michael Grade.
Other winners on the night included singer Amy Winehouse, who saw off competition from Jarvis Cocker and the Arctic Monkeys to win the best pop artist category.
Sacha Baron Cohen's fake Kazkh journalist Borat beat Ricky Gervais' comedy Extras and a Royle Family special to be named as the best comedy.
United 93, the critically-acclaimed film about the plane which failed to hit its target on September 11th 2001, took the best film award, for which The Queen and Red Road had also been nominated.
Director Paul Greengrass told the BBC: "Cinema, to remain alive, has to deal with what is contemporary and difficult. It can't just deal with escapism and fantasy and romance."
The awards, presented by Melvyn Bragg, seek to recognise the whole spectrum of the arts and include the categories dance, classical music, visual arts, opera and literature.
Last night's ceremony will be screened on ITV1 on Sunday January 28th.