This Morning has lost its best daytime show title at the National Television Awards as The Repair Shop claimed the prestigious prize.
It comes as the ITV morning programme, which has been on a winning streak in the daytime category for the last number of years, continues to face backlash amid the furore of the Phillip Schofield affair.
BBC drama series Happy Valley and its star Sarah Lancashire also won big at the annual award ceremony held at The O2 in London on Tuesday evening, picking up three gongs.
The Repair Shop’s host Jay Blades encouraged the crowd to cheer as the show’s team took to the stage and snapped a picture of the moment as he noted it was a “rarity” for them to be winning the prize.
Blades thanked those who voted and the team behind the show, adding: “I would like to salute my experts, they are my family.”
He also praised his fellow nominees at This Morning, The Chase and Loose Women, saying: “We’re the new kids on the block and I’m glad we’ve won this time. I know it won’t be a regular thing so thank you.”
This Morning presenter Holly Willoughby took to Instagram to congratulate Jay Blades and the whole The Repair Shop team for their win, giving them the “Hugest Congratulations”.
Earlier in the night, Happy Valley won the returning drama prize while its lead actress Lancashire won the best drama performance award and the special recognition award.
Asked in the show’s winners’ room if she thinks her casting will encourage more storylines starring older females, the 58-year-old star said: “I do hope.
“I think things are changing and they’ve needed to change for a long time, evolution is slow but we’re catching up.”
She confirmed there will not be another series after their success as she feels the show is complete, adding: “It was a story told as a trilogy which has been a great way to tell a story arch. The danger is you carry on and it losses its potency but I think this way it keeps it on top.”
The actress also praised the “calibre of writing” by creator Sally Wainwright and the production team.
As she picked up the best drama performance award, she said: “Thank you so much for this. I have adored every scene, every moment of Happy Valley and I know I will never forget it.”
Lewis Capaldi said the response to his programme where he opened up about how the pressures of fame have impacted his mental health “means the world” to him as he won in the authored documentary category.
His Netflix documentary, Lewis Capaldi: How I’m Feeling Now, faced tough competition against Rob Burrow: Living With MND, Matt Willis: Fighting Addiction and the documentary following the late Dame Deborah James, who set up the Bowelbabe cancer research fund, and died last year at the age of 40 after suffering from bowel cancer.
The Scottish singer-songwriter, 26, was not able to collect the award in person as he is currently in America, but sent a video message where he said: “I have to say thank you so so so much if you voted or even if you just watched the documentary, it genuinely means the world and it never ceases to blow me away how much this documentary has connected with people and struck a chord.”
He also praised his fellow nominees, hailing them as “incredible” for creating their programmes and opening up about their stories and struggles.
The award show also paid tribute to the late Paul O’Grady by playing a montage of some of his career highlights, with host Joel Dommett remembering his “kindness” which was coupled with a “unique sense of fun that won over audiences in an instance”.
The TV star, who died “unexpectedly but peacefully” aged 67 in March, also won the factual entertainment prize for his TV show For The Love Of Dogs.
Reality TV series Gogglebox took home the Bruce Forsyth entertainment award, beating The Masked Singer and Donnelly and McPartlin who were nominated for two of their shows, I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! and Saturday Night Takeaway.
However, the Geordie duo of Donnelly and McPartlin further cemented their run as the kings of prime-time television after winning the best TV presenter prize for the 22nd consecutive time.
As the pair collected the award on stage, Donnelly admitted that his heart was beating in his chest, adding: “We are as humbled and grateful tonight as we were when we won it for the first time.”
McPartlin added that they will continue to present “as along as you want us to”.
BBC’s The Traitors also received the award for best reality competition and The Graham Norton Show won in the new TV interviews category, beating Piers Morgan Uncensored on Talk TV, Louis Theroux Interviews… and The Chris & Rosie Ramsey Show to claim the prize.
Norton appeared on a video link to collect the award, saying: “I’m so sorry I can’t be there. Finally, I win a National Television Award and I’m not there.”
He added: “This award, winning it means so much. Mostly it means that Ant and Dec don’t have a talk show… yet. Don’t do it to me, boys.”
Strictly Come Dancing picked up the talent show prize, EastEnders claimed the serial drama gong while Netflix hit Wednesday, which stars Jenna Ortega as the Addams Family character Wednesday Addams, won the new drama award.
The Our Dementia Choir also delivered a moving performance during the show, with This Is England actress Vicky McClure admitting she was “shaking through pride” at witnessing the group sing at the O2.
She added: “Our mission is to share knowledge, raise awareness and aid research to help find a cure, but also to remind everyone that with the right hearts and minds you really can change people’s lives for the better.”
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