Ant McPartlin brushed his divorce woes aside as he attended the National Television Awards at London’s O2 Arena on Tuesday night – where he scooped the Best Challenge Show gong, Bruce Forsyth award and Best Presenter alongside his sidekick, Declan Donnelly.
Taking to the stage alongside Dec to pick up Best Presenter for a record-breaking 17th year in a row, the 42-year-old presenter seemed in good spirits as he brandished his award in the air.
Looking emotional as he thanked fans for the honour, the I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here host reflected on the previous year, which saw him enter rehab for an addiction to painkillers and announce his divorce from wife of 11 years, Lisa Armstrong.
Winner: Ant McPartlin brushed his divorce woes aside as he attended the National Television Awards at London ‘s O2 Arena on Tuesday night – where he scooped the Best Challenge Show gong, Bruce Forsyth award and Best Presenter
After receiving the award from head Strictly Come Dancing judge, Shirley Ballas, he told the crowd: ‘Thank you, I’m shaking… It’s been quite a year, a tough 12 months, so winning this really means a lot, to my family and friends, some of who are here tonight, thanks very much.’
Ant also had some special words for his presenting partner Dec, as he told him: ‘To this man, I love you thank you,’ as Dec added: ‘Possibly this year more than any other, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.’
Earlier in the night, the pair won Best Challenge Show for I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! and the Bruce Forsyth Entertainment Award for Saturday Night Takeaway.
Taking to the stage after he won Best Challenge Show, Ant said: ‘Thank you, thank you very much. We love making I’m A Celebrity, thank you for loving it too. We want to make it forever.’
Dec added: ‘Thank you to everyone that took the time to vote for us, for ITV for their continued support and the biggest thanks to the class of 2017.’
Chirpy: Taking to the stage alongside Declan Donnelly to pick up Best Presenter for a record-breaking 17th year in a row, the 42-year-old presenter seemed in good spirits as he brandished his award in the air
The pair were equally as humbled as they picked up the Bruce Forsyth Award, which was presented by his widow, Wilnelia Merced.
Ant said: ‘Thank you very much, it’s an honour to pick this award up and we started filming Saturday Night Takeaway today and we filmed a tribute to Bruce so this is very apt.’
Speaking backstage, he added: ‘It was really quite emotional I have to say, to get it and see his name on there and to get it of Wilnelia as well, it was such an honour’.
Elsewhere in the show, This Morning scooped Best Daytime Show, with Holly Willoughby gushing: ‘Oh my goodness me, thank you so much!’
Phillip Schofield added: ‘We love getting up very very early in the mornings even when it is cold and dark, so we can work on a show that we are so proud of and I can work with someone who I absolutely adore.
‘I am lucky to work with not only one of my best friends and one of the best teams in the business – Bradley Walsh you devil – he is taking over as our new doctor – if anyone has an issue come and speak to Doctor Brad’.
Holly also gave a shout out to Eamonn Holmes, who was forced to miss the ceremony as he revealed that he’s currently on his sick bed. Holly said: ‘Eamonn and Ruth who hold the fort on a Friday – get well soon… you are the best, we love you!’
The first winner on the night was Gogglebox, who picked up Best Factual Entertainment show for the fourth year in a row. In an emotional acceptance speech, the group said it was a fitting tribute to one of the show’s stars Leon Bernicoff who passed away last month.
Lucy Fallon picked up a gong for Best Serial Drama performance for her role as Bethany Platt in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street. Crying as she accepted the gong, she admitted: ‘I don’t think I’m going to be able to speak sense… thank you so much. My family, my mum, my dad, my boyfriend Tom, thank you so much!’
David Walliams picked up Best TV Judge and couldn’t resist taking a cheeky dig at Simon Cowell as he reasoned: ‘All he does is judge, he can’t dance or tell jokes, he just sits there and says no to everyone, Simon if you’re watching at home it’s ten past eight you probably haven’t got up yet, I have a message for you (blows raspberries)’
Suranne Jones picked up Best Drama for Doctor Foster. Taking to the prestigious stage to collect her gong, Suranne gushed about the much-talked about intense drama series, telling the crowd that the latest season was a ‘risk’ but that they ‘didn’t want to disappoint’ the loyal viewers.
She said: ‘It was a risk to make the second series because you loved the first so much because we didn’t want to disappoint you, so it means so much that you enjoyed it’
Suranne was up against fierce competition from Tom Hardy, David Tennant and Sheridan Smith.
Best Crime Drama went to Broadchurch, whilst the Impact Award was given to Blue Planet 2, with David Attenborough announcing: ‘It was my job, my privilege to provide the words for that series, you know and I know that what countered in that series is the pictures, the pictures were created by the camera men and women who dived into the ocean to get it, who spent three/four years in doing so.
‘They raise the issue that is of great importance not only in this country but worldwide. If our television programmes have helped stir the conscious of people around the world then all of us will be very pleased.’
Georgia ‘Toff’ Toffolo and Stanley Johnson presented the Best Newcomer Award to EastEnders star Danny Walters, whilst Peter Kay was not available to collect his gong for Best Comedy with his show Peter Kay’s Car Share.
Paul O’Grady, meanwhile, was honoured with the Special Recognition award for his work with Battersea Cats & Dogs home on his series Paul O’Grady: For The Love Of Dogs.
This year the NTAs paid tribute to the late Sir Bruce Forsyth by naming a major prize after him; the Bruce Forsyth Entertainment Award.
The showbiz veteran sadly passed away in August last year, aged 89, following a long illness and a battle with bronchial pneumonia. Sir Bruce is loved around the country for his 75-year TV career presenting shows including The Generation Game, Play Your Cards Right and Strictly.
Elsewhere in the show, Ant and Dec were nearly overshadowed, as whilst in the process of receiving the Bruce Forsyth Entertainment Award a disruptive individual burst suddenly onstage, with a piece of paper in hand.
However, host Dermot O’Leary was quick to come to the rescue and immediately escorted the man out, in order for the ceremony at London’s O2 Arena could proceed.
Bruce’s late wife Wilnelia had been presenting the award, given in her husband’s honour, when the incident took place.
As she prepared to announce Ant and Dec as winners, a man clad in jeans and a bandana ran onstage, with a piece of paper in hand.
However the intruder did not get too far as host Dermot immediately blocked him from the microphone. Clearly bewildered, the meddler began to protest and talk fiercely at Dermot, before he was swiftly removed backstage.
It is not known who the individual was, but his T-shirt appeared to be emblazoned with the word ‘activism’ on the front.
It also remains unclear whether the incident was aired during ITV’s live broadcast of the awards, which began at 7:30pm. MailOnline have contacted ITV for further comment.
It didn’t stop the proceedings for long, as Ant was soon on the stage and making his emotional acceptance speech.
Double trouble: – Ant scooped the the Best Challenge Show gong and Bruce Forsyth award alongside his presenting partner, Declan Donnelly
NATIONAL TELEVISION AWARDS 2018 – WHO WON WHAT?
BRUCE FORSYTH ENTERTAINMENT AWARD
Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway – WINNER
The Graham Norton Show
Celebrity Juice
All Round To Mrs Brown’s
CRIME DRAMA
Line Of Duty
Broadchurch – WINNER
Little Boy Blue
Sherlock
DRAMA PERFORMANCE
Tom Hardy (Tabboo)
David Tennant (Broadchurch)
Sheridan Smith (Moorside)
Jenna Coleman (Victoria)
Suranne Jones (Doctor Foster) – WINNER
COMEDY
Peter Kay’s co-star Sian Gibson had collected the award on his behalf
Bernidorm
Still Open All Hours
The Big Bang Theory
Peter Kay’s Car Share – WINNER
NEWCOMER
Danny Walters (Keanu, EastEnders) – WINNER
Ned Porteous (Tom, Emmerdale)
Nathan Morris (Milo, Hollyoaks)
Rob Mallard (Daniel, Coronation Street)
DAYTIME
This Morning – WINNER
The Chase
Loose Women
The Jeremy Kyle Show
SERIAL DRAMA
EastEnders
Emmerdale – WINNER
Coronation Street
Hollyoaks
CHALLENGE SHOW
Great British Bake Off
I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here – WINNER
MasterChef
Love Island
DRAMA
Doctor Foster – WINNER
Liar
Call The Midwife
Casualty
Game Of Thrones
TV PRESENTER
Ant & Dec – WINNER
Holly Willoughby
Phillip Schofield
Bradley Walsh
TALENT SHOW
Strictly Come Dancing – WINNER
Britain’s Got Talent
The Voice UK
The X Factor
SERIAL DRAMA PERFORMANCE
Barbara Knox (Rita)
Lucy Fallon (Bethany) – WINNER
Danny Miller (Aaron)
Lacey Turner (Stacey)
TV JUDGE
will.i.am
Paul Hollywood
Simon Cowell
David Walliams – WINNER
IMPACT AWARD
Blue Planet 2 – WINNER
SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARD
Paul O’Grady: For the Love of Dogs
Scooped: Taking to the stage as he collected the Best Challenge Show gong, the 42-year-old presenter seemed in good spirits as he brandished his award in the air
Dazzling: Jungle Queen Georgia ‘Toff’ Toffolo was on hand as the team picked up an award for I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!
Whilst Ant’s career successes are unparalleled, in private he is moving on from the breakdown of his marriage to Lisa.
His outing comes amid claims Lisa is staying in a friend’s spare room, having left their marital home to ‘come to term’ with her heartbreaking split.
Ant, meanwhile, has thrown himself into yet more work this week after auditions resumed for Britain’s Got Talent, and he was even seen on a photoshoot on Friday.
According to The Mirror, the 41 year-old has taken up residence with good pal Clare Buckfield – who previously dated Ant’s best friend and double act partner Declan Donnelly.
According to a close friend, Lisa – who supposedly heading to Paris to work on an upcoming fashion show – is a ‘strong independent woman’ but she ‘has told those closest to her she needs a fresh start.’
Grateful: He told the crowd: ‘Thank you, thank you very much. We love making I’m A Celebrity, thank you for loving it too. We want to make it forever’
Pleased: Dec added: ‘Thank you to everyone that took the time to vote for us, for ITV for their continued support and the biggest thanks to the class of 2017’
Lisa reportedly wanted her ‘own space’ to try and be as normal possible during the next phase in her relationship with Ant.
The source continued: ‘Lisa is a survivor and has been through a lot – and she has no intention of acting any differently now.
‘Some friends invited Lisa to stay and have been cheering her up, they have been a real support. While Lisa is going through so much right now she hasn’t lost her humour, they have been keeping her in good spirits.’
Out and about: Ant’s outing came after her revealed he is filing for divorce from his wife of 11 years, Lisa Armstrong
Ant and Lisa announced their plans to divorce on January 13, with Ant’s spokesman confirming the news to MailOnline on Saturday: ‘In response to the recent speculation in the media, Ant is very sad to announce that, after 11 years, he is ending his marriage to Lisa McPartlin.
‘Ant asks for privacy at this difficult time, for both himself, Lisa and their immediate families. No further statement will be made.’
Ant and Lisa’s divorce could reportedly cost the ITV star, whose net worth is estimated at £62million, a grand total of £31million.
Throwback: Ant had attended the 2016 National Television Awards with wife Lisa, whilst Dec had arrived on the arm of his wife Ali Astall