ITV show This Morning lost the title of best daytime show at the National Television Awards on Tuesday night.
It is the first time in 12 years the show has left empty-handed from the awards as the shadow of the Phillip Schofield scandal lingers.
This Morning was beaten by BBC‘s The Repair Shop with its host Jay Blades noting it was a “rarity” for them to take home the prize.
Holly Willoughby (left) and Phillip Schofield in 2019
He praised his fellow nominees at This Morning, The Chase and Loose Women, saying: “We’re the new kids on the block and I’m glad we’ve won this time. I know it won’t be a regular thing so thank you.”
Meanwhile, BBC drama series Happy Valley and its star Sarah Lancashire also picked up three gongs at the annual awards ceremony held at The O2 in London.
It won the returning drama prize, while Lancashire won the best drama performance award and special recognition award.
Sarah Lancashire, winner of the Special Recognition award and the Drama Performance award, with Sir Ian McKellen
Lewis Capaldi’s Netflix hit How I’m Feeling Now, picked up the award for authored documentary – beating Rob Burrow: Living With MND, Matt Willis: Fighting Addiction and the documentary following the late Dame Deborah James, who set up the Bowelbabe cancer research fund and died last year aged 40.
The Scottish singer-songwriter, 26, was unable to collect the award in person as he is currently in the US but sent a video message in which he said: “I have to say thank you so so so much if you voted or even if you just watched the documentary, it genuinely means the world and it never ceases to blow me away how much this documentary has connected with people and struck a chord.”
Reality TV series Gogglebox took home the Bruce Forsyth entertainment award, beating The Masked Singer and Ant and Dec, who were nominated for two of their shows, I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! and Saturday Night Takeaway.
But the Geordie duo further cemented their run as the kings of prime-time television after winning the best TV presenter prize for the 22nd consecutive time.
Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly – winners of the TV Presenter award
As the pair collected their award, Donnelly admitted that his heart was beating in his chest, adding: “We are as humbled and grateful tonight as we were when we won it for the first time.”
McPartlin added that they will continue to present “as long as you want us to”.
BBC’s The Traitors won best reality competition while The Graham Norton Show won in the new TV interviews category, beating Piers Morgan Uncensored on Talk TV, Louis Theroux Interviews… and The Chris & Rosie Ramsey Show to claim the prize.
Alison Hammond
Norton appeared via video to collect the award, saying: “I’m so sorry I can’t be there. Finally, I win a National Television Award and I’m not there.”
“This award, winning it means so much. Mostly it means that Ant and Dec don’t have a talk show… yet. Don’t do it to me, boys,” he added.
Strictly Come Dancing picked up the talent show prize, EastEnders claimed the serial drama gong while Netflix hit Wednesday, which stars Jenna Ortega as the Addams Family character Wednesday Addams, won the new drama award.
Host Joel Dommett and Hannah Cooper
The show also paid tribute to the late Paul O’Grady and played a montage of some of his career highlights, with host Joel Dommett remembering his “kindness” which was coupled with a “unique sense of fun that won over audiences in an instant”.
The TV star, who died “unexpectedly but peacefully” aged 67 in March, also won the factual entertainment prize for his TV show For The Love Of Dogs.
