Strictly Come Dancing professional Carlos Gu said it was “deeply wrong and baffling” that Molly‑Mae Hague’s documentary won the Authored Documentary prize at the National Television Awards (NTAs) over a film about his close friend, cancer survivor Amy Dowden. Gu’s comment appeared in a now‑deleted screenshot of a Notes app post that was shared to his Instagram Story and subsequently reported by the press.
Molly‑Mae’s six‑part Prime Video series Molly‑Mae: Behind It All, which chronicles the former Love Island contestant’s personal and professional life following her split from boxer Tommy Fury, beat nominees including There’s Only One Rob Burrow, Flintoff and Strictly Amy: Cancer and Me to take the publicly voted award. In his deleted post Gu wrote: “A breakup story wins Best Documentary at the NTAs over films about real human suffering, like those battling illness?... It's honestly baffling. We're talking about people fighting for their lives, enduring unimaginable pain, and somehow, a story about a messy relationship got the top honour?” Daily Mail reported the screenshot and said it had contacted Gu’s representatives for comment.
Amy Dowden, who documented her breast cancer treatment in Strictly Amy: Cancer and Me, responded to the result on social media with a congratulatory message to Molly‑Mae. She wrote: “Huge congratulations to Molly Mae on your NTA win! It's been an honour to be nominated alongside such powerful and inspiring documentaries. I'm incredibly proud to have been nominated for my documentary Strictly Amy: Cancer and Me… I promise to keep using my voice to raise awareness, support others, and shine a light on the reality of breast cancer.”
Molly‑Mae acknowledged the competition in her acceptance speech, telling the O2 Arena audience that being nominated “was such an honour.” She paid tribute to the late rugby player Rob Burrow and his family, saying his story “was far more inspirational than mine could ever be” and dedicating the award to him and to the other people in the category.
Reaction on social media was mixed, with some viewers criticising the outcome and questioning whether a personal breakup‑centred series should be judged alongside documentaries about serious illness. Others defended the public voting process and said the nomination itself recognised a range of storytelling approaches. The NTAs are decided by public vote and have been described as a celebration of popular television since their establishment in 1995.
The award for Authored Documentary was one of several high‑profile wins at the 2025 ceremony. Other notable victors included Gary Lineker for Best Presenter, which ended a long winning streak for Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly, and EastEnders securing Best Serial Drama. The evening, hosted by Joel Dommett to mark the NTAs’ 30th anniversary, honoured mainstream and niche programming across drama, comedy, factual and entertainment categories.
Organisers and broadcasters have not issued further comment on the specific voting breakdown for the Authored Documentary category. The NTAs continue to rely on public participation to determine winners, a mechanism that can produce results at odds with critical or industry expectations and prompt debate about how different forms of documentary filmmaking are compared and judged.