National Television Awards 2026: Full Winners List and Nominees

Comedian Alan Carr broke down in tears at the National Television Awards on Tuesday after receiving the Special Recognition gong to mark his 20-year television career.

Alan Carr’s Special Recognition Award and Ceremony Surprises

Speaking during his acceptance speech, Carr joked about his front-row placement, stating: “I should have realised when they put me in the front row, I’m usually in the back with the people from Naked Attraction.” Viewers on X, formerly Twitter, described the tribute featuring Amanda Holden and Paloma Faith as one of the campest things they’d ever seen. Later in the evening, Carr returned to the stage as The Celebrity Traitors claimed the victory for Best Reality Competition, dominating a category that also included its regular civilian counterpart.

Major Category Winners at the National Television Awards

Sir David Attenborough won the award for Best Presenter in his 100th year, interrupting a historic streak by Ant and Dec, who held the category for 23 years before losing to Gary Lineker in the prior year and to Attenborough at this ceremony. Producer Mark Brownlow accepted the award on Attenborough’s behalf, delivering a speech centered on the dangers of climate change. Additional winners included This Morning, which secured the Best Daytime show award with presenters Cat Deeley, Ben Shephard, Alison Hammond, and Dermot O’Leary, and Strictly Come Dancing, which won Best Talent Show ahead of its scheduled series revamp.

The Southport Families Documentary Wins Public Vote

The public chose Our Girls: The Southport Families for recognition during the event. The BBC program documented the families of nine-year-old Alice da Silva Aguiar, six-year-old Bebe King, and seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe, who were killed at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport in 2024. Accepting the award, Elsie’s mother Jenni Stancombe told the audience: “We never expected to be stood up here, so I don’t know what to say. We know you didn’t vote for us, you voted for our three girls.” On the red carpet prior to the ceremony, Kelly Osbourne spoke to BBC News regarding the nomination of a documentary focused on her father, Ozzy Osbourne, describing it as a “tragic but beautiful story” and confirming she spoke with her mother Sharon Osbourne before arriving at the venue.