Ant and Dec win 20th presenting award in a row at National Television Awards

Ant and Dec have bagged their 20th presenting award in a row at the National Television Awards.

The pair also won in the entertainment category with the show I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here which took the award.

They fought off competition from This Morning’s Holly Willoughby and Alison Hammond, The Chase’s Bradley Walsh and former Good Morning Britain presenter Piers Morgan.

In their speech, the pair paid tribute to their families and fans, saying: “This one means the most. Twenty years. This is really, really special. You have no idea how special this is.”

Declan Donnelly added: “When you get to 20, you can’t help but stop and look back at the first time we won in 2001, and so much has changed in both our lives since then but one thing that hasn’t changed is how unbelievably grateful we are that you take time year after year to watch both of us.”

Also picking up a pair of awards was Line Of Duty, which won the drama and special recognition awards.

Picking up the special recognition trophy, Adrian Dunbar hinted at a return, saying: “Who knows, we might be back.”

National Television Awards 2021: Line Of Duty, It’s A Sin and The Crown among shows up for honours

Ant McPartlin and Anne-Marie Corbett tie the knot in star-studded wedding ceremony

Euro 2020: Ross Kemp, David Beckham and Adele among celebs reacting to England’s history-making semi-final win

Elsewhere, Great British Bake Off, which returns to screens later in September, won the challenge award, with judges and hosts Prue Leith, Paul Hollywood, Noel Fielding and Matt Lucas accepting the gong from the tent, while Beat The Chasers walked off with the quiz show trophy.

Ricky Gervais’s Netflix show After Life won the comedy award, beating off Sex Education, The Vicar Of Dibley and Friday Night Dinner.

In his speech, Gervais paid tribute to his crew and his viewers, saying: “The amazing crew and cast, and the people at home who voted for it. Thank you so much. You are the reason I do this. The money is… You are the second… I do it for the money and thank you…”

In an emotional moment, Good Morning Britain host Kate Garraway won an award for her documentary Finding Derek, which followed the her husband Derek’s journey after being hospitalised with COVID-19 for a year.

Collecting the trophy to a standing ovation, the journalist said: “Thank you so much for voting. I wonder if the reason why you did is because our story is your story.

“I think we have all been touched by the pandemic, whether it is livelihoods, mental health – all the other extraordinary documentaries that have been highlighted and nominated tonight, they have also been affected by the pandemic and I just want to say to all the Darceys and Billys and Dereks and Derek’s family – whatever you are going through and however you are affected, you are not forgotten.”

Gogglebox, Coronation Street and Strictly Come Dancing were among the other winners, with David Tennant picking up the gong for best drama performance for his turn in Des.

Read Entire Article