Strictly Come Dancing Wins Top Prize at National Television Awards
In a triumphant return to the spotlight, Strictly Come Dancing has been voted the winner of one of the top prizes at the National Television Awards. The BBC dance contest was named best talent show at the ceremony, where winners are chosen by viewers.
Despite a challenging few months for the show following claims about the treatment of some contestants, Strictly proved it has not lost its shine with viewers. The recent scandal was not referenced on stage, but hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman were clearly overjoyed to win.
Co-host Claudia Winkleman also had a double celebration, as her other show, The Traitors, was named best reality competition. The night’s other big winners included ITV drama Mr Bates vs the Post Office, with three awards, and the iconic duo Ant and Dec, who extended their NTA winning streak in the best presenter category to 23 years.
In his acceptance speech, Toby Jones, who won best drama performance for Mr Bates vs the Post Office, dedicated the award to the real-life subpostmasters who inspired the show. A group of the victims of the Post Office scandal joined the show’s stars on stage, highlighting the impact of the drama.
Ant and Dec also continued their winning streak, jointly winning the best TV presenter trophy. Declan Donnelly attributed their success to a lucky charm from his daughter, Isla, who gave him her lip balm for good luck.
Other winners at the National Television Awards included Kate Garraway, whose documentary about her late husband Derek Draper was named best authored documentary. Garraway dedicated the award to Derek and called for better support for carers across the country.
The National Television Awards showcased the best of British television, with a diverse range of winners across various categories. The event celebrated the talent and hard work of the industry, highlighting the power of television to entertain, inspire, and connect audiences.
