Owen Cooper was named Best Drama Performance at the 2025 National Television Awards on Wednesday as Netflix's Adolescence took home the prize for Best New Drama.
Cooper, 15, who plays Jamie Miller in the series, did not attend the ceremony at London's O2 Arena because he was in the United States ahead of this weekend's Emmy Awards. His Adolescence co-star Amari Bacchus accepted the NTA on his behalf and played a pre-recorded video message from Cooper in which he thanked his cast, collaborators and viewers, saying, "Never could I have believed that this show, Adolescence, would change my life in the way that it has. It’s the fact that the viewers who voted for this, it just shows what a powerful, impactful show that we all got to make."
Cooper's NTA win adds momentum to his Emmy campaign, where he is nominated in the Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie category. If he wins on Sunday, he would become the youngest-ever male Emmy acting winner; the current record was set in 1973 by Scott Jacoby, who was 16. Industry observers and press reports noted Cooper has been entered in the supporting category rather than lead, a strategic decision that was described as boosting his chances. Cooper will face fellow Adolescence cast member Ashley Walters along with Javier Bardem, Bill Camp, Peter Sarsgaard and Rob Delaney in the Emmy supporting actor category. Adolescence is also competing at the Emmys for Best Limited or Anthology Series, among other nominations.
Adolescence, one of Netflix's most-watched series, beat Rivals, Code of Silence, Ludwig and MobLand to win Best New Drama at the NTAs. The show has attracted attention for its portrayal of a teenage killer and has been widely discussed by critics and viewers; its run at awards events this season has included multiple nominations and wins.
Cooper, who grew up on a working-class estate in central Warrington, was reportedly selected for the role of Jamie from around 500 candidates. Adolescence was his first professional acting job and none of his immediate family have backgrounds in the entertainment industry, details that have been highlighted in coverage of his rapid rise.
The National Television Awards, in its 30th year and hosted by Joel Dommett, are voted for by the public and were broadcast on ITV1. The ceremony produced a number of notable results across British television. Gary Lineker won Best Presenter, ending Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly's 23-year run in the category. Lineker used his acceptance speech to reflect on his recent departure from the BBC's Match of the Day following controversy over a social media post and to say it can be "OK to speak up on behalf of those who have no voice." Lineker left the programme in May after posting a pro-Palestine video that included imagery some critics said had antisemitic connotations; he later apologised.
EastEnders won Best Serial Drama, and veteran actor Steve McFadden was honoured with the Serial Drama Performance award for his portrayal of Phil Mitchell during a storyline about mental health, a moment that drew visible emotion from the cast. This Morning reclaimed the Best Daytime prize, and Michael McIntyre's Big Show received The Bruce Forsyth Entertainment Award. The 1% Club was named Best Quiz Show, Clarkson's Farm won Best Factual Entertainment, and Strictly Come Dancing took Best Talent Show despite being unable to send its regular hosts and judges due to recording schedules.
Gavin & Stacey won Best Comedy, with Ruth Jones among those accepting the award, while former Love Island contestant Molly-Mae Hague won Authored Documentary for her series. The ceremony also included a special recognition award for the animated BBC series Wallace and Gromit, collected by creator Nick Park.
Red carpet coverage was handled by Sam Thompson and Pete Wicks. The NTAs were established in 1995 to allow the public to vote for television favourites rather than relying solely on industry panels; organisers describe the ceremony as a celebration of the nation's most popular stars and programmes.
Cooper and Adolescence head to the Emmys with heightened attention after Wednesday's wins, with industry watchers noting both the age milestone possibility and the show's broader awards-season momentum. The Emmy Awards are scheduled for Sunday in Los Angeles.