National Television Awards: Ant and Dec win best presenter gong despite Ant’s rehab break
Written by News on 23/01/2019
Ant and Dec have won the best presenter gong at the National Television Awards despite not appearing on television together in 10 months.
Ant McPartlin took a break from presenting after a drink-driving charge in March last year and was later banned from driving after pleading guilty.
Despite this, fans voted him and comedy partner Declan Donnelly best presenters on TV in the last year – the 18th time in a row they have won the award.
Ant and Dec beat Philip Schofield, Graham Norton, Bradley Walsh and Holly Willoughby to the gong.
However, they were unable to attend this year’s event because of a clash with Britain’s Got Talent filming at the London Palladium.
McPartlin said: “This is a genuine shock, especially this year. We want to say thank you to everybody. I really don’t think that I can accept this award this year.
“The one reason we won the award this year is this guy: his hard work, his wit, his dedication. Best mate in the world.
“I love this guy.”
Donnelly said: “I’ve got him back now, and now we’re back together.
“Special thank you to Dermot who said he was going to chuck in the towel if we won this year.”
Willoughby stepped into McPartlin’s shoes for I’m A Celebrity during the winter.
However, it is unlikely she will be too upset by missing out, after she and Phillip Schofield scooped Best Daytime Programme for This Morning.
Willoughby warned This Morning fans of her impending hangover for Wednesday morning’s show saying: “Send help is all I am saying, send help. Help me!”
She shared pictures on social media before the ceremony as she got ready while drinking champagne with her co-host’s wife.
Richard Madden won Best Drama Performance for Bodyguard, and the show itself won Best New Drama.
He said: “It’s been a hell of a year. It feels kind of surreal for me. It was a year ago, and now I’m here with this award. It feels very strange to me. I’m very lucky and thankful for that.”
Danny Dyer won Best Serial Drama Performance for his role as Mick Carter in EastEnders and gave an emotional speech in which he thanked his mentor Harold Pinter.
He said: “I just want to say to all you young kids living out there in poverty, who says they don’t have the right to dream?
“Do not let where you come from dictate, define, what you can do in life.
“I want to dedicate this award to Harold Pinter, a man I love very much, and I miss him. He believed in me when no-one else did.”
ITV’s The Chase won Best Quiz Show, and I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here was honoured with the Bruce Forsyth Entertainment Award.
Peter Kay’s Car Share won Best Comedy while David Walliams won Best Judge on TV – beating colleague Simon Cowell.
Strictly Come Dancing won Best Talent Show.
(c) Sky News 2019: National Television Awards: Ant and Dec win best presenter gong despite Ant’s rehab break
