Vogue Williams and Olivia Attwood led a parade of celebrities on the red carpet at the National Television Awards at The O2 in London on Wednesday, drawing attention with contrasting, glamorous looks as the ceremony marked its 30th anniversary.
Williams, 39, arrived in a slinky black gown with a plunging neckline and a flowing train, complemented by silver bracelets and high heels. Olivia Attwood, 34, who attended without her husband Bradley Dack, cut an elegant figure in an off‑the‑shoulder white dress with long sleeves and wore her hair in an updo. Other arrivals included Ashley James in a black sparkly mini dress with pearl detailing and Davina McCall in a gold glittering mini dress, who posed playfully and took selfies with fans on the carpet. Reality stars Sam Thompson and Pete Wicks arrived together, sharing a light‑hearted moment as Thompson kissed Wicks on the cheek for photographers.
The NTAs, established in 1995 to give the public a voice in recognising television talent, are celebrating three decades of audience voting this year. The awards have been decided by postal, telephone and online votes and are billed as a celebration of "the nation's most loved stars and shows." The ceremony is being broadcast live on ITV2 and the prizes will be handed out between entertainment performances through the evening.
Among the most watched categories is TV Presenter, where Ant & Dec are widely expected to continue their long run; the duo have won the award every year for the past 23 years and were candid last year that they "know one year we're not going to win it." They face competition this year from Claudia Winkleman, Gary Lineker, Alison Hammond and Stacey Solomon. Ant & Dec's Saturday night programme I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! is also nominated in the Reality Competition category, alongside Love Island, Race Across the World and The Traitors.
Drama nominations reflect a strong year for scripted television. Netflix's Adolescence, which drew critical attention for Owen Cooper's portrayal of child killer Jamie Miller, is up for New Drama and for Drama Performance. It will be pitted against shows including Code of Silence, Ludwig, MobLand and Rivals in the New Drama category. Long‑running serial dramas are also heavily represented: Coronation Street and Emmerdale have both enjoyed renewed viewer interest following their arrival on ITVX in October, and remain contenders alongside Casualty, EastEnders and Hollyoaks.
Comedy nominations include the long‑running Gavin & Stacey, which aired its long‑awaited final episode on Christmas Day 2024 and is nominated alongside Brassic, Michael McIntyre's 25th Year Stand‑Up Special and Mrs Brown's Boys. The awards also recognise factual and entertainment formats, with nominations for programmes such as Clarkson's Farm, Gogglebox and Michael McIntyre's Big Show, as well as quiz and daytime categories that feature shows and presenters familiar to mainstream audiences.
Performance categories highlight individual contributions across genres. Nominations for Drama Performance include Brenda Blethyn for Vera, Owen Cooper for Adolescence, Rose Ayling‑Ellis for Code of Silence and Stephen Graham for Adolescence, while serial drama performance nods go to actors such as Eden Taylor‑Draper and Jack P. Shepherd. The ceremony also lists nominees in documentary and returning drama categories, with shows such as Call the Midwife, Gangs of London, Heartstopper and Slow Horses in contention.
Organisers said the 30th anniversary underlines the event's founding purpose: to allow members of the public to determine which shows and performers they most admired. The winners will be revealed during the live broadcast later on ITV2.
[Full nominations for major categories include contenders across reality, drama, comedy, factual entertainment and daytime programming, reflecting a broad cross‑section of British and international television as recognised by public vote.]