Newly engaged Molly Smith turned heads on the red carpet at the National Television Awards on Wednesday, showing off a new engagement ring as she posed alongside fiancé Tom Clare before the ceremony at London’s O2 Arena.
The former Love Island contestant wore a silver, diamond-embellished crop top paired with a matching sheer, floor-length skirt that revealed her midriff. She completed the look with a pearl clutch, stacked silver rings and sparkling diamond earrings, and wore her hair in an updo. Clare, 26, wore a white double-breasted blazer with black tailored trousers and polished black shoes as he wrapped an arm around Smith’s waist.
The red carpet arrivals were hosted for a second year by Sam Thompson and Pete Wicks. The NTAs, marking their 30th anniversary, are determined by public vote and were established in 1995 to give viewers a direct voice in recognising television talent. The ceremony was broadcast live on ITV2 and winners were announced across entertainment performances throughout the evening.
Several programmes and personalities were recognised across major categories. In the televised results, Gary Lineker won the TV Presenter award, edging out long-time favourites Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly, who had been widely expected to remain contenders for the prize. Lineker faced competition from Alison Hammond, Claudia Winkleman and Stacey Solomon.
I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! was named Reality Competition winner, while Netflix drama Adolescence took the award for Best Drama. EastEnders was voted Best Serial Drama. Other notable winners included The 1% Club for Quiz Show, Clarkson’s Farm for Factual Entertainment and Gavin & Stacey for Comedy.
Performers and cast members also received individual recognition. Owen Cooper was named Drama Performance winner for his role as Jamie Miller in Adolescence. Steve McFadden won for Serial Drama Performance for his portrayal of Phil Mitchell in EastEnders. Michael McIntyre’s Big Show received the Bruce Forsyth Entertainment Award, and Strictly Come Dancing was named Talent winner.
The awards night highlighted the breadth of British television, from long-running soaps and reality formats to newer dramas and streaming hits. The serial drama category reflected strong showings from Coronation Street, Emmerdale and other stalwarts that have benefited from on-demand platforms such as ITVX, which have allowed viewers to watch at their convenience.
Organisers said the NTAs remain a celebration of the nation’s most popular shows and personalities, with voting conducted by post, telephone and online. The event’s 30th edition acknowledged both legacy acts and rising formats, noting the continuing public appetite for a mix of traditional broadcast programming and streaming originals.
Smith and Clare’s appearance added a personal highlight to the evening’s red carpet coverage as television’s best-known faces gathered in London. The ceremony continued into the night with awards presented across entertainment categories before the broadcast concluded.