Why Ant and Dec won't be at NTAs tonight after winning for last 20 years
After two decades of attending the National Television Awards, national treasures and Geordie presenter duo Ant and Dec unfortunately won't be attending this evening's ceremony (13 October).
Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly, better known as Ant and Dec (or PJ and Duncan, depending on how old you are) began their careers on the big screen as child actors on late 80s CBBC drama, Byker Grove.
The duo have been inseparable since, even having a stint as musical artists with 1994 hit Let's Get Ready to Rhumble. In more recent years, the pair have hosted their own show, Saturday Night Takeaway, and have been familiar faces as presenters on I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! and Britain's Got Talent.
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However, the family TV favourites won't be making their way to the National Television Awards tonight as they have unfortunately contracted Covid-19 – an insider told the Metro yesterday.
This will be the first time in 20 years that the pair haven't attended the ceremony, but they are still going to be nominated for the TV Presenter(s) of the Year award – an award they have won for two decades in a row and counting.
Due to their unfortunate illness they will also be missing out on presenting Britain's Got Talent: The Ultimate Magician, a special spin-off show, which has now been taken over by fellow TV presenter, Stephen Mulhern.
As of tonight, the National Television Awards will have been running for 27 years, with TV personalities including Des O'Connor (Des O'Connor Tonight) and Anna Friel (Brookside) taking home the glory at the very first ceremony back in August 1995.
Tonight's ceremony was originally scheduled for September 15th and was to be presented at Wembley's OVO Arena but the date was pushed back following the late Queen Elizabeth II's death.
The National Television Awards issued a statement that said: ‘We have taken the decision to postpone this year’s National Television Awards as a mark of respect following the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II."
The award ceremony will air tonight at 8pm on ITV, with the following nominations being shortlisted for an award:
NEW DRAMA
Heartstopper
This Is Going To Hurt
Time
Trigger Point
TALENT SHOW
Britain’s Got Talent
RuPaul’s Drag Race UK
Strictly Come Dancing
The Masked Singer
AUTHORED DOCUMENTARY
Julia Bradbury: Breast Cancer and Me
Kate Garraway: Caring for Derek
Katie Price: What Harvey Did Next
Paddy and Christine McGuinness: Our Family and Autism
Tom Parker: Inside My Head
RETURNING DRAMA
Bridgerton
Call the Midwife
Peaky Blinders
The Split
TV PRESENTER
Alison Hammond
Ant & Dec
Bradley Walsh
Graham Norton
FACTUAL ENTERTAINMENT
Clarkson’s Farm
Gogglebox
Paul O’Grady: For the Love of Dogs
Great British Bake Off
DRAMA PERFORMANCE
Cillian Murphy, Thomas Shelby, Peaky Blinders
Jonathan Bailey, Anthony Bridgerton, Bridgerton
Nicola Walker, Hannah, The Split
Vicky McClure, Lana Washington, Trigger Point
THE BRUCE FORSYTH ENTERTAINMENT AWARD
Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway
I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!
Taskmaster
The Graham Norton Show
SERIAL DRAMA
Coronation Street
EastEnders
Emmerdale
Neighbours
EXPERT
Jay Blades
Kaleb Cooper
Martin Lewis
Sir David Attenborough
SERIAL DRAMA PERFORMANCE
Gillian Wright, Jean Slater, EastEnders
Mark Charnock, Marlon Dingle, Emmerdale
Paige Sandhu, Meena Jutla, Emmerdale
Rose Ayling-Ellis, Frankie Lewis, EastEnders
QUIZ GAME SHOW
Beat the Chasers
In for a Penny
Michael McIntyre’s The Wheel
The 1% Club
RISING STAR
Charithra Chandran, Edwina Sharma, Bridgerton
Joe Locke, Charlie Spring, Heartstopper
Kit Connor, Nick Nelson, Heartstopper
Paddy Bever, Max Turner, Coronation Street
DAYTIME
Loose Women
The Chase
The Repair Shop
This Morning
COMEDY
After Life
Derry Girls
Not Going Out
Sex Education
TALENT SHOW JUDGE
Anton Du Beke
David Walliams
Mo Gilligan
RuPaul
Topics: Ant and Dec, Covid-19
Harley Young