Centre Stage, which was created by six final-year Television Production students as part of their final project in 2013, is up for best Entertainment programme at the Royal Television Society (RTS) London Region Student Television Awards next week.

Recorded in front of a live studio audience, while simultaneously broadcast on livestream and around the University’s Luton campus, the show featured some of the UK’s up-and-coming talent.

The show was hosted by Anna Whiteley, and guests included folk singer Jade Helliwell, Edinburgh Fringe Festival comedy act Heretical Productions, and RSC cast of Hamlet and As You Like It.

It was produced by students Teresa Banks, Katie Shore, Georgia Van Der End, Bryony Dilnot, Sakkina Merali-Piercy and James Clatworthy who used fellow (volunteer) Television Production students to help crew the show, whilst students and guests filled the audience.

Filmed at the University’s HD TV studio in Luton, the programme also helped raise funds for Rethink Mental Illness.

Georgia, who is back at the University studying for a Master’s in Marketing and Communications, said: “To be nominated for these awards is brilliant and a nice surprise.

“I think the show went really well, mainly due to having such a hard-working and dedicated team. We had all worked on previous projects and we were determined to make this one our best.”

A delighted Kathryn Wolfe, Senior Lecturer in Media Performance and Course Co-ordinator Television Production, said: “This is a first for Television Production at the University. Never before have we got through to this stage of the RTS awards, it’s absolutely fabulous news.

“The team worked tremendously hard on the project, which was highly professional. Unsurprisingly all six have gone on to great things with some working on top shows such as Dancing on Ice, and for companies such as Endemol, while two of the team have returned to Bedfordshire to study for a Master’s degree.”

The awards take place at ITV, The London Television Centre, at 7pm on Tuesday 28 January.

The regional winner in each category is put forward for the RTS national awards.

To watch the show visit www.youtube.com/thetvlab. Centre Stage can be found under the Magazine Programmes playlist.

For more information contact the press office on 01582 743499.