Ant in with a shout for presenter gong at TV awards
ANT McPartlin could win best presenter at the National Television Awards, despite the fact that he has taken a step back from his screen duties.
The star and his presenting partner Declan Donnelly are on the shortlist for the title at this year’s ceremony.
Their show, Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway, is also in the running for the Bruce Forsyth Entertainment Award.
McPartlin stepped down from presenting duties for the show following his arrest for drink driving in March last year, and he has said he will continue to take a break from all TV presenting until this year.
He and Donnelly are up against Bradley Walsh, Graham Norton, Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield for the presenter prize.
Donnelly has two shots at the Bruce Forsyth gong, as I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! is also shortlisted, alongside All Round To Mrs Brown’s, Love Island and The Graham Norton Show.
The ceremony, fronted by returning host Dermot O’Leary and broadcast by ITV, sees many stars of the small screen vying for accolades in categories such as drama, talent show, serial drama and comedy.
Ratings hit Bodyguard is a contender for the best new drama gong, where it faces competition from A Discovery Of Witches, Girlfriends, Killing Eve and The Cry.
There is a battle of the sexes in the drama performance category, where three women – Killing Eve’s Jodie Comer, Our Girl’s Michelle Keegan and first female Doctor Who Jodie Whittaker – take on Peaky Blinders’ Cillian Murphy and Bodyguard’s Richard Madden.
TV judge looks set to be one of the most closely fought categories, with talent show supremo Simon Cowell up against his new X Factor rivals Robbie Williams and Louis Tomlinson, along with his Britain’s Got Talent co-star David Walliams.
Doctor Who could be in for a nod in the drama category, where it is shortlisted alongside Our Girl, Peaky Blinders, Call The Midwife and Casualty.
For details on how to vote visit www. nationaltvawards.com.
The National Television Awards will be broadcast live on ITV on January 22 from The O2, London.
This year’s NTA shortlist in full is:
Quiz Show
8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown A League Of Their Own Catchphrase
Pointless
The Chase
New Drama
A Discovery Of Witches Bodyguard Girlfriends Killing Eve
The Cry
Talent Show
Britain’s Got Talent Dancing On Ice Strictly Come Dancing The Voice UK
The X Factor
Drama
Call The Midwife Casualty Doctor Who Our Girl Peaky Blinders
TV Presenter
Ant & Dec Bradley Walsh Graham Norton Holly Willoughby Phillip Schofield
Factual Entertainment
Ambulance
DIY SOS: The Big Build Gogglebox
Paul O’Grady: For The Love Of Dogs The Great British Bake Off
Drama Performance
Cillian Murphy, Thomas Shelby, Peaky Blinders
Jodie Comer, Villanelle, Killing Eve Jodie Whittaker, The Doctor, Doctor Who
Michelle Keegan, L. Cpl Georgie Lane, Our Girl
Richard Madden, Sgt David Budd, Bodyguard
The Bruce Forsyth Entertainment Award
All Round To Mrs Brown’s
Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!
Love Island
The Graham Norton Show
Serial Drama
Coronation Street EastEnders Emmerdale Hollyoaks
Serial Drama Performance
Bonnie Langford, Carmel Kazemi, EastEnders
Danny Dyer, Mick Carter, EastEnders Emma Atkins, Charity Dingle, Emmerdale
Jack P Shepherd, David Platt, Coronation Street
Lucy Pargeter, Chas Dingle, Emmerdale
Comedy
Benidorm
Jack Whitehall: Travels With My Father
Mrs Brown’s Boys
Peter Kay’s Car Share
The Big Bang Theory
Newcomer
Aedan Duckworth, Ollie Morgan, Hollyoaks
Alexandra Mardell, Emma Brooker, Coronation Street
James Moore, Ryan Stocks, Emmerdale
Neet Mohan, Dr Rashid ‘Rash’ Masum, Casualty
Ricky Champ, Stuart Highway, EastEnders
Daytime
Good Morning Britain Loose Women Sunday Brunch The Jeremy Kyle Show This Morning
TV Judge
David Walliams Louis Tomlinson Robbie Williams Robert Rinder Simon Cowell