Several of British television's best‑known faces were absent from the National Television Awards on Wednesday night, as the ceremony marked its 30th anniversary at London's O2 Arena with a notable number of high‑profile no‑shows.
Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly, Claudia Winkleman, Holly Willoughby and a number of other household names did not appear in the audience as winners were announced, a contrast with past editions of the NTAs that often drew wide red‑carpet attendance. Despite the absences, the televised ceremony on ITV1 delivered a range of winners chosen by public vote, including Gary Lineker, the Netflix drama Adolescence and Strictly Come Dancing.
Organisers and representatives gave scheduling and work commitments as the principal reasons for many of the absences. Ant and Dec were in South Africa filming I'm A Celebrity: All Stars and recorded a video for fans apologising that they could not attend; Ant said, "Sorry we can't be there tonight. But we're in South Africa!" They lost the NTAs' Best Presenter award after a 23‑year winning streak, with former Match of the Day host Gary Lineker taking the trophy.
Lineker used his acceptance speech to address his recent departure from the BBC after controversy earlier in the year, saying the win suggested "it's OK sometimes to use our platform to speak up on behalf of those who have no voice." He stepped down from Match of the Day in May after an Instagram post about Zionism that featured imagery deemed offensive; Lineker apologised at the time.
Strictly Come Dancing won the TV talent category, but hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman and the professional dancers were not present because the programme's team was pre‑recording the 2025 Strictly launch. The award was accepted onstage by last year's finalist JB Gill, who gave a shout‑out to the absent hosts.
Netflix's Adolescence won Best New Drama and several acting awards, including Drama Performance for teenager Owen Cooper, but principal cast members Stephen Graham, Ashley Walters and Cooper were not in the O2 audience. Co‑stars Amari Bacchus, Mark Herbert, Jo Hartley, Emily Feller and Fatima Bojang collected the prize for the series; a pre‑recorded message from Cooper thanked colleagues and viewers, and the production later confirmed some cast members had travelled to the United States ahead of the Emmy Awards.
Gavin & Stacey was named Best Comedy, but co‑creator James Corden and lead actors Mathew Horne and Joanna Page were absent. Corden is currently in the United States for his Broadway appearance in Art and posted a message of thanks on social media after the win. This Morning reclaimed the Best Daytime award, with hosts Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley winning for the first time; Alison Hammond, who presented on the night, referred to the programme's recent challenges and previous losses.
Other winners included Michael McIntyre's Big Show, which received The Bruce Forsyth Entertainment Award; Clarkson's Farm for Factual Entertainment; Call the Midwife as Best Returning Drama; and EastEnders for Best Serial Drama. Jessie Wallace and Michelle Ryan presented the Serial Drama Performance award to EastEnders actor Steve McFadden, who was visibly emotional as he accepted recognition for his portrayal of Phil Mitchell during a storyline about mental health.
The ceremony also acknowledged documentary and authored work, with Molly‑Mae Hague winning the Authored Documentary category. Wallace and Gromit creator Nick Park received a special recognition award during the evening.
Television executives and producers pointed to clashing production schedules, international commitments and touring as the main reasons for multiple absences. The NTAs, established in 1995 to give viewers a direct voice in recognising television talent, are decided by public vote, with nominations and voting conducted online and by other means.
Organisers celebrated the event as a public barometer of popularity across genres, while media commentators noted the contrast between the awards' public voting model and the logistical realities of an increasingly global and round‑the‑clock television industry. Several winners who were not present shared gratitude on social media and via representatives.
The 30th‑anniversary ceremony was hosted by Joel Dommett and broadcast live on ITV1. The evening underscored both the enduring profile of the NTAs in the British media calendar and the growing frequency with which stars' professional commitments prevent red‑carpet appearances at major awards shows.