Stephen Colbert, ‘Ted Lasso,’ ‘Small Axe’ and ‘I May Destroy You’ are Peabody Award winners

“The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” and series “Ted Lasso” and “I May Destroy You” are among those who nabbed a Peabody this year.

The 81st annual Peabody Awards, which honor groundbreaking stories in entertainment and media, announced its winners this week on Twitter, with presenters like Will Ferrell, Steve Carell and Kristen Bell virtually handing out awards. 

Ferrell awarded AppleTV+ comedy “Ted Lasso” a Peabody Award in entertainment for its “good-hearted humor and inspiration when we needed it most.”

Sudeikis’s series about an affable American football coach Ted Lasso who takes a job as a coach for a British football (aka soccer) team, started out as a one-joke punchline in an NBC Sports commercial and blossomed into one of the most genuinely heartwarming shows on TV. When it arrived last year, amid global despair and tragedy, it was a much-needed balm, even if you don’t know anything about soccer, USA TODAY TV critic Kelly Lawler wrote.

"Last Show" host Stephen Colbert took to Showtime Tuesday night for a live election special. (Photo: TIMOTHY KURATEK/CBS)

Carell appeared in a pre-recorded video to present “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” a Peabody in entertainment.

“Intelligent, funny, kind, talented, but tonight isn’t about me,” Carell quipped. “(Colbert) is being honored for a TV show that not only entertains, but it serves a greater purpose. As a writer, a performer and a satirist, he has the ability to distill a complicated situation into something funny.”

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Watch @SteveCarell hilariously, and heartwarmingly, present @colbertlateshow with a #PeabodyAward. @stephenathome accepts the award on behalf of his entire team, “We got through it together, even though we did everything apart.”

More: https://t.co/uHQPs61ZAJpic.twitter.com/NbG4kSxK6c

Disney’s “The Owl House,” which features a LGBTQ teenager, also took home a Peabody in entertainment which was presented by Kristen Bell. “The Good Place” actress noted she relates to the show’s “quirky” lead Luz.

More entertainment awards went to miniseries “Unorthodox” and “The Good Lord Bird” and series “I May Destroy You,” as well as film anthology “Small Axe.”

Netflix’s “Unorthodox” is based on the true story of a woman who escapes an ultra-Orthodox Jewish community in New York and runs away to Germany. “The Good Lord Bird” is based on James McBride’s book and stars Ethan Hawke as abolitionist John Brown.

HBO series “I May Destroy You” was snubbed by the Golden Globes earlier this year, but won two main prizes at the 2021 British Academy Television Awards. USA TODAY entertainment reporter Patrick Ryan praised the emotional, dark comedy for brilliantly depicting sexual assault trauma and consent.

Steve McQueen’s “Small Axe,” starring John Boyega and Letitia Wright, consisted of five films and spotlighted the West Indian community in the United Kingdom.

Jayro Bustamante’s horror film “La Llorona” was also recognized.

For a full list of 2021 Peabody winners, visit the Peabody awards website.

Contributing: Kelly Lawler

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