Comedian Alan Carr was moved to tears while accepting the Special Recognition award at the 31st National Television Awards held at The O2 Arena on Tuesday. The honor caps a tumultuous year for the presenter, who recently found massive success as a contestant on the BBC One reality series The Celebrity Traitors.
Carr entered the venue expressing self-deprecating doubts to BBC News, joking that comedy awards are subjective and that his chances of winning were slim given the annual dominance of Mrs Brown’s Boys. He correctly predicted the outcome of the Comedy category, which was indeed won by the long-running sitcom. However, Carr’s prediction that he would “ugly cry” if he won an award proved accurate when he took the stage for the Special Recognition prize, the only category decided by a panel rather than public vote.
The evening began with a whimsical tribute to Carr, featuring a Traitors-themed musical number where fellow contestant Paloma Faith emerged from a coffin. Following the performance, Carr reflected on the unprecedented level of fame brought on by the show, calling it a “phenomenon.” His fellow Traitors also secured a victory, with the series beating the original format to win the Reality Competition award.
Celebrity Traitors co-star Charlotte Church praised the show’s finale, which drew 15 million viewers within seven days, describing it as a poignant look at male emotional expression. She specifically highlighted the performances of Carr, Nick Mohammed, and David Olusoga as “absolutely sublime.”
In another major birthday milestone, Sir David Attenborough was named Best Presenter during his centenary year. Attenborough, who was unable to attend, accepted the award via his frequent collaborator Mark Brownlow. In a recorded message, the legendary broadcaster urged the audience to prioritize environmental protection, stating, “The natural world needs us too: surely we must not ignore that simple fact.” Attenborough’s win broke Ant and Dec’s record streak in the category, which had ended when Gary Lineker won last year.
Jeremy Clarkson’s Farm secured a second consecutive NTA, taking home the inaugural Celebrity-Led Reality Docuseries award. The new category included entries from Tyson Fury, Kelvin Fletcher, Stacey Solomon, Joe Swash, and Bob Mortimer with Paul Whitehouse.
The Authored Documentary category saw a heartfelt moment as the public voted for Our Girls: The Southport Families. The documentary chronicles the lives of the three young girls murdered in the 2024 Southport stabbings. Elsie Dot Stancombe’s mother, Jenni Stancombe, accepted the award and dedicated it to her daughter and the other victims, telling the audience, “We know you didn’t vote for us, you voted for our three girls.” Meanwhile, Kelly Osbourne expressed pride that her family’s documentary about Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne received a nomination, calling it a “beautiful” story.
In the drama segment, Vicky McClure won Best Drama Performance for her role in Trigger Point, marking the first time an all-female shortlist resulted in a win for the category. “Over the years it has not been our space, and here we are dominating that category,” McClure told reporters. Sheridan Smith also made history with a nomination for her portrayal of Ann Ming in I Fought The Law, which went on to win the New Drama award.
On the red carpet, Graham Norton revealed he wore the same suit to the NTAs as he did to Taylor Swift’s wedding earlier this year. Norton, who also appeared in Swift’s recent music video for Opalite, described the experience as a masterclass in leadership, noting the hard work and positivity on set.
The full list of National Television Awards winners includes:
- Reality Competition: The Celebrity Traitors
- New Drama: I Fought The Law
- Quiz Show: The 1% Club
- Authored Documentary: Our Girls: The Southport Families
- Returning Drama: Call the Midwife
- TV Presenter: David Attenborough
- Reality Docuseries: Clarkson’s Farm
- Comedy: Mrs Brown’s Boys
- Drama Performance: Vicky McClure (Trigger Point)
- Bruce Forsyth Entertainment Award: The Graham Norton Show
- Serial Drama: Emmerdale
- Serial Drama Performance: Jeff Hordley (Emmerdale)
- Factual Entertainment: Gogglebox
- Daytime: This Morning
- Talent Show: Strictly Come Dancing
Attenborough’s centenary win is so fitting. The environmental message resonated deeply.
Love seeing Alan get his moment. He really deserves the recognition after everything.