To make sure you never miss out on your favourite NEW stories, we're happy to send you some reminders

Click 'OK' then 'Allow' to enable notifications

Why Ant and Dec won't be at NTAs tonight after winning for last 20 years

Why Ant and Dec won't be at NTAs tonight after winning for last 20 years

Unfortunately, the dynamic TV duo won't be gracing our screens for the National Television Awards tonight.

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.

Steven Roe / Alamy Stock Photo

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.

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.

PA Images / Alamy Stock Photo

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

Featured Image Credit: Doug Peters/Alamy Stock Photo/PA Images/Alamy Stock Photo

Topics: Ant and Dec, Covid-19