The great and the good of the British entertainment world showed up for the National Television Awards (NTAs).
As a fun night in the showbiz calendar, it’s no surprise there were some important moments you won’t want to have missed from the glamorous affair. There was laughter, good fun and of course, tears too at the event held at The O2 in London on Wednesday night.
Here are the moments you need to know about from the NTAs…
Kate Garraway fights back tears as she accepts award
Emotions were high when Kate Garraway accepted the best Authored Documentary gong for Derek’s Story at the NTAs while she had the support of her two children – Darcey and Bill. Draper died in January after contracting Covid in 2020 and never making a full recovery.
She told the crowd: “This is a bittersweet one isn’t it? It’s very bitter to be here, with the gorgeous Darcey and Billy. I promised them they didn’t have to say anything. We’re halfway through the first year of firsts really. A first Easter and first birthdays, without Derek. It’s so strange to be here for the first Television Awards without him.”
Derek’s Story followed on from the success of documentaries about what happened to Derek in Kate Garraway: Finding Derek and Kate Garraway: Caring For Derek. It also marked a special date for Garraway as it would have been her 20th wedding anniversary.
Read more: Kate Garraway expresses sadness at not having Derek Draper at NTAs (PA, 5-min read)
Holly Willoughby’s glamorous red carpet return
Willoughby returned to TV and the stage at the NTAs. The former This Morning star wowed on the red carpet in a silver dress and was reunited with former This Morning co-stars including Dermot O’Leary and the friends shared a kiss on the cheek. Her predecessors Cat Deeley and Ben Shepherd were on the red carpet looking glamorous too.
It’s the first time Willoughby has taken centre stage at a public event after security guard Gavin Plumb was jailed for plotting to abduct, rape and murder her which left her fearing for her life and sparked her decision to quit This Morning.
The TV star had a big role on the night as she joined Joel Dommett’s presenting squad. This time round at the NTAs, Willoughby gave out the gong for the Bruce Forsyth Entertainment Award.
Read more: Holly Willoughby makes TV return after kidnap plot ordeal
Martin Lewis goes viral for ‘looking fuming’
Social media was awash with viewers of the show claiming Martin Lewis looked “fuming” when he lost out twice. He was nominated for Best Expert, which David Attenborough won, as well as losing out to Stacey Solomon’s Sort Your Life Out in the Best Factual category.
Among the comments, one wrote: “I see Martin Lewis was happy for her through those gritted teeth and round of applause.”
Someone else quipped: “Martin Lewis is livid.”
Lewis spoke out to say he couldn’t win them all. He wrote: “Well you can’t win em all (or any tonight!) but thanks so much to all who voted and supported me.”
Boos over Post Office victims not being paid
The crowd erupted into boos when Post Office scandal victim Jo Hamilton revealed the sub-postmasters still hadn’t been paid yet. Hamilton gave a speech while accepting the special Impact award for the ITV drama Mr Bates versus The Post Office which tells the story of the injustice the sub-postmasters faced when hundreds of them were falsely accused of theft because of a faulty computer system Horizon.
Her emotional words revealing there had been no change sparked a huge outcry of support from the audience who booed. She told the crowd: “What I would like you to know is I went to Westminster a couple of weeks back and saw the new Minister. And trust me, nothing has changed.”
She added: “It’s true. And almost all of these people behind me haven’t been paid yet. Out of a group of 555, more than 300 haven’t been paid yet including Sir Alan Bates.” Mr Bates versus The Post Office won big at the awards ceremony as it took home three awards.
Read more: NTAs erupts into boos as Mr Bates star says ‘we still haven’t been paid’ (Daily Record, 2-min read)
Ant and Dec win TV presenter gong for 23rd year
Get out the champagne, Ant and Dec won best TV presenter at the National Television Awards (NTAs) for the 23rd time in a row. Very impressive. They fought off tough competition from Claudia Winkleman too. Hats off to the nation’s favourite double act.
The pair made a sweet reference to them both being dads while accepting their awards. Dec said: “Our lives have changed so unbelievably since we won these awards, over the last six years recently as we’ve got very small children. It used to be we’d be going out partying and now we’re going back to dirty nappies and the school run tomorrow.”
He added: “My girl Isla is six now, she left for school this morning and said ‘Good luck, I hope you win the trophy’. In fact, she said, ‘Take my lip balm, I think it’ll be good luck.’ “
Read more: Ant and Dec continue winning streak at NTAs
Strictly wins despite allegations scandal
Strictly Come Dancing won big at the event, despite months of the allegations about teaching methods and behaviour in rehearsals. Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly picked up the award on behalf of the show as it was named best talent show. They were so delighted they danced off the stage!
“My heart is beating, Claude,” Daly said to her friend and co-host. “It means the world, genuinely, to all of us.”
Winkleman added: “This means everything. We’re so grateful. We’re going to do the conga.” Strictly triumphed over MasterChef, Britain’s Got Talent, The Great British Bake Off and The Voice UK in the category.
Mary Berry rewears 11-year old NTAs dress
Mary Berry looked stunning as she showed some dresses just never go out of fashion.
The former Bake Off judge wore the same gorgeous blue dress from independent label, Damsel In A Dress, to the NTAs 11 years after she first wore it to the event in 2013. The floor-length blue silk dress was so nice she wore it twice.
Read more: Mary Berry re-wears same NTA dress from 11 years ago