Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly joked that they were "really going through it" after their 23-year winning streak for Best Presenter at the National Television Awards ended and the trophy went to Gary Lineker.
The Geordie duo, who are currently in South Africa filming the latest series of I'm A Celebrity, posted a light-hearted TikTok in which they pretended to cry and wrote: "Absolutely gutted we traded British drizzle for South African sunshine," adding, "We’re really going through it here guys…" They also thanked viewers who voted for I'm A Celebrity and for them in the presenter category.
In remarks issued after the awards, McPartlin and Donnelly said they had been "beaten by an up and coming new guy, 64-year-old Gary Lineker," and offered their congratulations. They later shared a throwback photograph from their 2009 festive special showing themselves dressed as Batman and Robin with Lineker depicted as a penguin, jokingly referring to him as their "old nemesis The Penguin."
Lineker, a former England striker and long-time presenter of Match of the Day, was visibly surprised when his name was announced and thanked those who had voted for him, saying, "Blimey, I've won the Ant and Dec trophy. Thank you, thank you to everyone who voted for me, hugely appreciated." Lineker left his role at Match of the Day earlier in the year amid public controversy.
The NTAs result prompted discussion on Thursday's episode of Lorraine, where hosts and guests reflected on the end of the duo's long run. Lorraine Kelly said she often felt the award should simply be given to the pair, while guest Vogue Williams suggested viewers and colleagues may have grown tired of seeing the same winners and quipped that McPartlin and Donnelly's spouses might not want any more trophies in the home because of the extra dusting.
Coverage of the ceremony also noted other surprise results, including circumstances surrounding the Best Serial Drama and other accolades that produced shocked reactions in the room.
ITV has confirmed that I'm A Celebrity… South Africa will return in 2026 with a new line-up of returning campmates, larger trials and, for the first time on the spin-off, a live public vote to decide the winner. The South African edition, which debuted in 2023, will again be fronted by Ant and Dec, with producers promising a tougher environment intended to push contestants beyond their previous experiences in the Australian jungle.
McPartlin and Donnelly remain among British television's most recognisable presenters after decades on air and a long list of honours. While the NTAs outcome ended a notable run, colleagues and fans have broadly praised the duo's response as good-natured and in keeping with their public persona as light-hearted entertainers.
ITV and representatives for McPartlin and Donnelly did not immediately respond to requests for further comment on the awards outcome or the TikTok post.