Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly said they were "really going through it" after losing their long run of National Television Awards wins for Best Presenter while filming the next series of I'm A Celebrity… in South Africa.
The Geordie duo, who had won the award for more than two decades, lost the category this year to former footballer and broadcaster Gary Lineker. In a lighthearted TikTok update from South Africa, Ant and Dec pretended to cry and wrote, "Absolutely gutted we traded British drizzle for South African sunshine," adding, "We’re really going through it here guys…"
Following Wednesday’s ceremony, the presenters posted a longer thank-you message to viewers, saying they were grateful to everyone who voted for I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here and for them in the presenter category. "We were beaten by an up and coming new guy, 64‑year‑old Gary Lineker... Well deserved, congratulations Gary. Very well deserved, great speech too," the statement said, accompanied by a throwback photograph from their 2009 festive special that showed them dressed as Batman and Robin with Lineker costumed as a penguin.
Lineker, 64, accepted the award to loud applause, saying onstage: "Blimey, I've won the Ant and Dec trophy. Thank you, thank you to everyone who voted for me, hugely appreciated. It's amazing." The win came months after Lineker left Match of the Day earlier in the year.
Reaction to the upset played out on morning television, where presenters discussed the end of the duo’s long dominance at the NTAs. On ITV’s Lorraine, guest panellists speculated on reasons behind the result. "Can we start with the controversy, Ant and Dec didn't win the Ant and Dec award! I always say — just give it to them, congratulations," one host said. Vogue Williams suggested the pair might have simply been due a break from winning: "I think they got sick of winning and I think their wives were like, we don't want any more trophies in the house. Fine... Too much dusting. Too much dusting on the match. Too much dusting!"
Ant and Dec are currently in South Africa to film the second run of the I'm A Celebrity spin‑off, which ITV has confirmed will return in 2026. The broadcaster said the series will feature a new line‑up of returning campmates, larger trials and, for the first time in the South Africa format, a live public vote to determine the winner. ITV also said Ant and Dec will return as hosts and that producers have promised a tougher environment and new twists.
The presenters have dominated the Best Presenter category at the NTAs for 23 years, building their profile through shows including Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway and I'm A Celebrity. Their social posts after the awards mixed gratitude with humour: they thanked viewers for voting for the show and congratulated Lineker on his win.
The upcoming South Africa series will pit some of the most memorable former contestants against each other in a setting producers say will "push them to their limits." Filming schedules for the new lineup and exact broadcast dates for the 2026 run have not been released.
Ant and Dec’s viral TikTok and their onstage comments reflect an effort to acknowledge the awards result while keeping the duo’s trademark banter alive as they continue work on the ITV spin‑off from South Africa.