Ben Shephard offered a public show of support to his This Morning co‑host Cat Deeley at the National Television Awards, columnist Dolly Busby reported, as the annual ceremony at London’s O2 Arena combined prize announcements with personal and professional flashpoints on the red carpet.
Busby, writing in the Daily Mail, said Shephard took Deeley’s hand to steady her before she walked the carpet and remained close during the evening after the presenter’s first major public appearance since announcing her separation from husband Patrick Kielty in July. An unnamed source quoted in the column described Deeley as nervous as she smoothed an emerald‑green Oscar de la Renta gown and prepared for photographers and interviewers.
The ceremony itself saw long‑running BBC soap EastEnders named best Serial Drama and its lead, Steve McFadden, honoured with the Serial Drama Performance award after more than three decades in the role of Phil Mitchell. Cast members celebrated into the early hours, Busby reported.
The columnist also highlighted a series of social interactions and absences that caught the notice of organisers and industry insiders. Love Island contestants Yasmin Pettet and Jamie Rhodes, who finished third together in last month’s public vote, arrived separately and did not speak to reporters, prompting speculation among onlookers and attendants. Busby’s sources said the pair spent much of the night apart; Pettet was later seen at the after‑party in conversation with Traitors contestant Freddie Fraser.
EastEnders actor Bobby Brazier was reported to have been holding hands with co‑star Aaliyah James at the after‑party. Brazier, who announced he would be leaving EastEnders, told attendees he had enjoyed his work in the last three months more than previously, according to the column.
Not all production teams attended: Busby quoted sources saying NTA organisers were "incredibly disappointed" that Strictly Come Dancing representatives were widely absent. Hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman were reported to be at the BBC’s Strictly launch show, which runs annually around the same time as the NTAs. Organisers questioned the scheduling overlap and suggested the absence was notable given the programme’s history at the awards.
Busby’s column also recapped recent controversies surrounding Strictly Come Dancing, including an allegation of bullying by Amanda Abbington, a sexual slur by singer Wynne Evans on the Strictly tour, and an incident earlier this week in which new contestant Thomas Skinner reportedly removed a journalist’s phone during a press event. The column framed those episodes as context for the BBC show’s reduced presence at the NTAs, citing commentary from event executives.
The reporting emphasized the choreography behind red carpet appearances, where publicists and PR teams plan meeting points, entrances and which cameras a celebrity will address. Busby wrote that decisions such as arriving alone or together can be intended messages about personal relationships or career positioning, and that younger stars in particular rely on such visibility to build post‑show careers.
The National Television Awards, which rely on public voting, combined those public moments with award presentations that on the night affirmed long‑running programmes and performers. Event organisers did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the accounts published in the Daily Mail column, and representatives for the individuals named declined to comment when contacted through their publicists.
Coverage of the NTAs continues to focus on both the trophies and the social dynamics that play out around them, with industry watchers noting that red carpet interactions, departures and alignments often carry wider implications for programming, audience perception and talent management in British television.