For the first time, every nominee for best drama performance at the UK’s National Television Awards is a woman. Voters narrowed a longlist that included David Tennant, Gary Oldman, Idris Elba, James Norton and Tom Hiddleston down to five actresses.
The all-female drama shortlist
- Sheridan Smith, a previous winner, as campaigner Ann Ming in ITV’s I Fought the Law
- Ruth Jones in Netflix thriller Run Away
- Vicky McClure as Lana Washington in Trigger Point
- Ella Bruccoleri as Mary Bennet in The Other Bennet Sister
- Judy Parfitt as Sister Monica Joan in Call the Midwife
Other highlights
- Stacey Solomon earned three nominations, including TV presenter, where she’s up against Ant & Dec, Sir David Attenborough in his 100th birthday year, Claudia Winkleman and Alison Hammond.
- A new award for celebrity reality docuseries pits Solomon and Joe Swash against the Furys, Jeremy Clarkson, Kelvin Fletcher’s family farm and Mortimer & Whitehouse’s Gone Fishing.
- Heated Rivalry, the Canadian romance hit, is up for best new drama.
- Mrs Brown’s Boys is nominated for comedy, the same week its festive specials were canceled after Brendan O’Carroll broke his jaw.
The public votes on winners in all 15 categories, with the ceremony on Sept. 8 at London’s O2 arena, hosted again by Joel Dommett and broadcast on ITV1 and ITVX.
Our take
An all-female drama shortlist chosen by the public, not a panel, says a lot about what British viewers have been watching. From true-crime campaigners to Austen’s overlooked sister, these roles give women complex, central stories, and audiences clearly responded.
Full list of NTA nominees
Reality competition
- I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!
- I’m A Celebrity… South Africa
- Race Across the World
- The Celebrity Traitors
- The Traitors
New drama
- A Woman of Substance
- Believe Me
- Heated Rivalry
- I Fought The Law
- The Other Bennet Sister
Quiz show
- Ant & Dec’s Limitless Win
- Michael McIntyre’s The Wheel
- Richard Osman’s House of Games
- The 1% Club
- The Chase
Authored documentary
- Caroline Flack: Search for the Truth
- Jesy Nelson: Life After Little Mix
- Our Girls: The Southport Families
- Sharon & Ozzy Osbourne: Coming Home
- Sir Chris Hoy: Cancer, Courage and Me
Returning drama
- Blue Lights
- Bridgerton
- Call the Midwife
- Stranger Things
- Trigger Point
TV presenter
- Alison Hammond
- Ant & Dec
- Claudia Winkleman
- David Attenborough
- Stacey Solomon
Reality docuseries
- At Home With The Furys
- Clarkson’s Farm
- Fletchers’ Family Farm
- Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing
- Stacey & Joe
Comedy
- Amandaland
- Changing Ends
- Last One Laughing
- Mrs Brown’s Boys
- Not Going Out
Drama performance
- Ella Bruccoleri – Mary Bennet, The Other Bennet Sister
- Judy Parfitt – Sister Monica Joan, Call the Midwife
- Ruth Jones – Elena Ravenscroft, Run Away
- Sheridan Smith – Ann Ming, I Fought The Law
- Vicky McClure – Lana Washington, Trigger Point
The Bruce Forsyth Entertainment Award
- Gladiators
- Michael McIntyre’s Big Show
- The Graham Norton Show
- The Masked Singer
- Would I Lie to You?
Serial drama
- Casualty
- Coronation Street
- EastEnders
- Emmerdale
- Hollyoaks
Serial drama performance
- Aaron Thiara – Ravi Gulati, EastEnders
- Gareth Pierce – Todd Grimshaw, Coronation Street
- Jeff Hordley – Cain Dingle, Emmerdale
- Paul Bradley – Nigel Bates, EastEnders
- Sue Devaney – Debbie Webster, Coronation Street
Factual entertainment
- 24 Hours in Police Custody
- Gogglebox
- Secret Garden
- Sort Your Life Out
- The Martin Lewis Money Show Live
Daytime
- Good Morning Britain
- James Martin’s Saturday Morning
- Loose Women
- Scam Interceptors
- This Morning
Talent show
- Britain’s Got Talent
- Strictly Come Dancing
- The Great British Bake Off
- The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer
- The Great Pottery Throw Down
