Dermot O'Leary acknowledged the upheaval that has surrounded ITV's This Morning as he accepted the Daytime programme award at the National Television Awards on Wednesday, saying members of the show's crew had been "put through the mill."
The series won the Daytime prize at London's O2 after missing out on the award in each of the previous two years. O'Leary, who co-hosts the programme on Fridays with Alison Hammond, said the recognition was especially meaningful given the scrutiny the programme and its staff have faced.
"Feels longer than two years since we accepted this award," O'Leary said in his acceptance speech. "There is a team who have worked on the show since I started who have had to endure an awful lot of s**t. Two and a half hours of live tele every day is quite simple but to do it under the spotlight of being on the front page of the news every day, we aren't supposed to be on the front page of the news. This show holds a mirror up to Britain and provides entertainment so to reclaim this award is something we would never take lightly. It means an awful lot, especially to those people who have been through the mill."
The remarks alluded to a series of high-profile departures and incidents that have affected This Morning since 2023. Former presenter Philip Schofield left the programme after admitting to an affair with a younger male colleague. Former co-presenter Holly Willoughby departed the show in October 2023 after learning of a plot to kidnap, rape and murder her by a former security guard, Gavin Plumb. Plumb was later convicted on all three charges and sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 15 years.
Willoughby issued a statement after the sentencing thanking police and legal teams and saying, "As women we should not be made to feel unsafe going about our daily lives and in our own homes." She also praised the undercover officer and the Metropolitan and Essex police forces for their work.
After the departures of Schofield and Willoughby, This Morning introduced new permanent hosts. Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley were part of the presenting team at the NTAs and joined colleagues on stage to accept the award. Deeley said on stage, "We are so lucky to get to do this show, we all love it. Every single person who comes on, we love this show and it's like having a family."
Producers have maintained the programme's format of live daytime broadcasting despite the turbulence, continuing its schedule of two and a half hours of live television each weekday. O'Leary's comments at the awards highlighted the pressure on crew and on-air staff who continued to produce the show amid sustained media attention and legal proceedings.
The National Television Awards ceremony recognised a range of popular British programmes and performers. Winners across categories included EastEnders for serial drama and Strictly Come Dancing for the talent category, while Michael McIntyre and other entertainers were also among the night's honorees. The victory for This Morning marks a return to the top of the Daytime category after the programme had not won the award in the two years prior.
ITV did not immediately respond to requests for comment. This Morning remains a central fixture of ITV's daytime schedule and a frequent subject of public and media discussion, with producers and staff publicly navigating the balance between continuing live broadcast commitments and managing the consequences of the high-profile incidents that affected the programme's presenting line-up.