Phillip Schofield has thanked viewers after This Morning took home the daytime prize at the National Television Awards, saying: “This means so much to us every year, especially this year.”
The presenter and his co-host Holly Willoughby have faced criticism over the past couple of weeks following claims they skipped the queue for the Queen’s lying in state.
The ITV show saw off competition from Loose Women, The Chase and The Repair Shop to take home the award on Thursday during the ceremony held at London’s OVO Wembley Arena. -
Collecting the award, Schofield said: “Don’t think we ever get complacent and please don’t think we ever take this for granted. This means so much to us every year, especially this year.
“We have the most amazing team. I have the best friend, we have the best boss.”
Willoughby added: “Thank you so much, this award means everything because it is voted by you, and I think This Morning has a very special relationship with you. You make our show for us, you really do.”
Fellow presenter Alison Hammond said she was “grateful” for this award, but that she felt she should have won in the TV presenter category instead of Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly.
She said: “I ain’t going to lie but we all know I should have won one of these as well.
“Bradley Walsh, Graham Norton and the legends that are Ant and Dec are amazing, but let’s be honest, I should have won one but This Morning won one anyways.”
McPartlin and Donnelly continued to dominate the award show as they won the TV presenter award for the 21st consecutive time.
The presenting duo were unable to collect the prize in person as they had both recently tested positive for Covid, with Stephen Mulhern picking it up on their behalf.
While presenting the award to the duo, Ukrainian broadcaster Timur Miroshnychenko thanked the UK for its continued support and said his country is “looking forward” to the joint Eurovision 2023.
I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!, hosted by McPartlin and Donnelly, picked up the Bruce Forsyth Entertainment Award, beating Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway, Taskmaster and The Graham Norton Show to take the title.
Kate Garraway won the authored documentary prize for a second consecutive year for her documentary about her family life as her husband battles the long-term effects of Covid.
The Good Morning Britain presenter won the award last year for a programme about her family’s life after her husband, former political adviser Derek Draper, spent a year in hospital being treated for coronavirus.
She secured the prize for a second time for her follow-up programme, Caring For Derek, and said her family is hoping he will be able to come home soon after he had to go back to hospital for another bout of illness.
Garraway faced off tough competition in the category from Katie Price: What Harvey Did Next; Julia Bradbury: Breast Cancer And Me; and Paddy And Christine McGuinness: Our Family And Autism and the posthumous nomination for The Wanted’s Tom Parker for the documentary about his charity concert for cancer held six months before his death.
Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight praised the British fans who supported the show from the beginning as it picked up the returning drama gong.
He also confirmed the team will shoot a spin-off movie in the spring and said he hoped fans could come together to watch it.
Cillian Murphy, who stars as Thomas Shelby in the gangster family series, also won the best drama performance prize.