TellyCast Digital Video Awards 2026 has awarded a Social Purpose special recognition prize to EastEnders Investigates: The Manosphere, from BBC Studios.
Unlike the standard competitive categories, the Social Purpose special recognition award is selected directly by a judging panel to recognise digital content that drives awareness, sparks meaningful conversation and delivers tangible social impact.
Created as EastEnders’ first digital documentary, EastEnders Investigates: The Manosphere expanded on a major ongoing storyline by exploring the real-world influence of online misogyny and manosphere culture on young people across the UK. The documentary combined contributions from cast members with expert insight, lived experience and educational perspectives to examine the issue in greater depth than the drama itself could accommodate.
Distributed across BBC digital platforms, the programme generated 1.8 million views and was designed with social sharing in mind, incorporating accessible, “screen-grabbable” moments intended to encourage wider discussion online. Following release, the EastEnders digital team received feedback from schools and charities that had begun using the documentary as an educational resource.
The success of the project has prompted discussions around expanding EastEnders Investigates into a wider factual strand. The DVA Judges called it: “A powerful example of how digital companion content can extend the impact of mainstream storytelling. The judges were impressed by the project’s sensitivity, educational value and audience engagement around a difficult but important issue.”
