Owen Cooper won the Best Drama Performance prize and Netflix’s Adolescence was named Best New Drama at the 2025 National Television Awards on Wednesday, as Britain’s television industry gathered at London’s O2 Arena for the public-voted ceremony.
Cooper, 15, who plays Jamie Miller in the critically acclaimed limited series, was not in attendance at the UK ceremony because he is working in the United States ahead of this weekend’s Emmy Awards. His Adolescence co-star Amari Bacchus accepted the award on his behalf and played a pre-recorded message from Cooper, in which the actor thanked his co-stars, collaborators and viewers and said he was humbled by the show’s impact.
Cooper’s NTA victory has drawn attention because he is a nominee at the 2025 Primetime Emmy Awards in the Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie category. At 15, a win at the Emmys would make him the youngest male acting winner in the ceremony’s history; the current record is held by Scott Jacoby, who won at 16 in 1973. Industry commentators noted Netflix entered Cooper in the supporting category rather than lead, a move described as increasing his chances against a competitive field that includes co-star Ashley Walters, Javier Bardem, Bill Camp, Peter Sarsgaard and Rob Delaney.
Adolescence also secured a nomination for Best Limited or Anthology Series at the Emmys and has been among Netflix’s most-watched shows, earning a large number of nominations across categories. Cooper was selected for the role of Jamie from about 500 candidates. The Warrington schoolboy’s casting was his first professional acting job and no members of his family have a background in the entertainment industry, according to people involved in the production.
The NTAs, hosted by Joel Dommett to mark their 30th anniversary and televised on ITV1, featured a number of high-profile wins and emotional moments. Gary Lineker ended Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly’s 23-year run as winners in the Best Presenter category. Lineker, who stepped down from presenting the BBC’s Match of the Day in May after controversy surrounding a social media post, used his acceptance speech to reflect on platforms and speaking up, saying, "It's not lost on me why I might have won this award," and adding that the result suggested "it’s OK sometimes to use our platform to speak up on behalf of those who have no voice."
EastEnders was awarded Best Serial Drama, and Steve McFadden was honoured with the Serial Drama Performance prize for his portrayal of Phil Mitchell during a mental health storyline; McFadden was visibly moved during his acceptance. This Morning reclaimed the Best Daytime title, with new hosts Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley marking their first NTA wins for the show following previous setbacks.
Other winners included Strictly Come Dancing for Best Talent Show, Gavin & Stacey for Best Comedy, and Call the Midwife for Best Returning Drama. Michael McIntyre received The Bruce Forsyth Entertainment Award for The Michael McIntyre Big Show, while Jeremy Clarkson’s Clarkson’s Farm won Factual Entertainment. Former Love Island contestant Molly-Mae Hague won the Authored Documentary category for Molly-Mae: Behind It All. Wallace and Gromit received a special recognition award, collected by creator Nick Park.
The NTAs also provided moments of recognition for long-running and returning programmes. The final series of Vera lost out to Call the Midwife, and the ceremony featured performances and appearances from casts and presenters across British television. The red carpet was hosted by Sam Thompson and Pete Wicks, who also presented an onstage award during the broadcast.
Established in 1995 to give viewers a direct voice in recognising television talent, the National Television Awards continue to be decided by public vote conducted by post, telephone and online. The 2025 ceremony combined audience favourites with newer breakout successes, reflecting both long-running series and recent streaming hits in its list of winners.
Organisers said the NTAs remain a celebration of popular television, while several winners — including Cooper and members of the Adolescence creative team — face further international attention as the Emmy Awards approach.