Helen Flanagan and Katie arrive in London ahead of the National Television Awards

It is one of the glitziest night’s in the showbiz calendar.

And stars including Helen Flannagan and Katie McGlynn ensured they arrived in London in plenty of time ahead of Thursday night’s National Television Awards.

Former Coronation Street star Helen, 32, looked fresh-faced and make-up free as she arrived in the capital city by train hours before the star-studded ceremony.

Arrivals: Helen Flannagan (pictured) and Katie McGlynn ensured they arrived in London in plenty of time ahead of Thursday night’s National Television Award

Before transforming for the glamorous occasion, Helen wore a nude dress and a white fur-trim coat with a pair of chunky biker boots.

The mother of three was seen pushing a large suitcase along the platform, while also balancing a takeaway coffee and lunch from Pret.

The soap star added a designer touch to her daytime look by toting a classic black padded Chanel bag over her arm.

Touch down: Her former co-star Katie, 29, was also spotted arriving at Euston, wearing a pair of crocodile print trousers with chunky Doc Martins

Touch down: Her former co-star Katie, 29, was also spotted arriving at Euston, wearing a pair of crocodile print trousers with chunky Doc Martins

Her former co-star Katie, 29, was also spotted arriving at Euston, wearing a pair of crocodile print trousers with chunky Doc Martins.

Katie, who sported a hoodie and bomber jacket, wore her blonde locks loose and covered her pretty visage with a pair of cat-eye style sunglasses.

The actress carried a Gucci holdall in one hand and her outfit in the other. 

Also spotted making their way to hotels in order to prepare for the night ahead was Love Island winner Davide Sanclimenti and series six runner up Toby Aromolaran.

Ready to glam! Former Coronation Street star Helen, 32, looked fresh-faced and make-up free as she arrived in the capital city by train hours before the star-studded ceremony

Ready to glam! Former Coronation Street star Helen, 32, looked fresh-faced and make-up free as she arrived in the capital city by train hours before the star-studded ceremony

Make way! Before transforming for the glamorous occasion, Helen wore a nude dress and a white fur-trim coat with a pair of chunky biker boots

Make way! Before transforming for the glamorous occasion, Helen wore a nude dress and a white fur-trim coat with a pair of chunky biker boots

This year’s NTAs are broadcasting live from a brand new venue of Wembley’s OVO Arena with Joel Dommett hosting. 

Sir Lenny Henry is to be presented with the coveted gold Special Recognition Award at the annual ceremony on Thursday night.

This year’s National Television Awards will honour the 64-year-old and his trailblazing career in UK television, which has endured for nearly 50 years.

Celebrity fans will be seen paying tribute to the comedian and fundraising Comic Relief frontman when the awards are broadcast live on ITV from the OVO Arena, Wembley.

Reality star: Also spotted making their way to hotels in order to prepare for the night ahead was Love Island winner Davide Sanclimenti (pictured) and series six runner up Toby Aromolaran

Reality star: Also spotted making their way to hotels in order to prepare for the night ahead was Love Island winner Davide Sanclimenti (pictured) and series six runner up Toby Aromolaran

Low-key: Davide was dressed down in a cream tracksuit as he travelled to the Capital

Cosy: He teamed his look with a padded jacket and chunky trainers

Low-key: Davide was dressed down in a cream tracksuit as he travelled to the Capital

Sir Lenny has been a mainstay on TV for nearly 50 years, starting with his 1975 victory on New Faces at the age of 16 which led to further acclaim on such era-defining shows as Tiswas and Three of a Kind.

Breaking new ground for black talent, he went on to experience huge success with his own sketch comedy series before playing a key role in the formation of Comic Relief. 

More recent projects have seen him diversify into acting, most notably on stage as Othello and on screen in the big-budget Amazon Prime series, Lord of the Rings: the Rings of Power.

Pose! Davide was stopped by two fans who wanted to take his picture

Pose! Davide was stopped by two fans who wanted to take his picture

Among those congratulating Sir Lenny for his achievements as a writer, campaigner, comedian and presenter will be Hollywood superstar Whoopi Goldberg, who says, ‘If you want to know what a superhero looks like, take a look at Sir Lenny Henry.’

There will be two notable faces missing from Thursday’s NTAs ceremony though as MailOnline revealed on Wednesday that Ant and Dec have pulled out of attending after being struck down with Covid.

The TV duo, who have won best presenter at the NTAs for 20 consecutive years, are suffering from flu-like symptoms and are ‘bed bound’ with the contagious infection.

A Britain’s Got Talent spokesperson announced on Wednesday that the pair are ‘unwell’ and won’t be working until they recover.

All smiles! Toby stood out from the crowd in a mustard-coloured tracksuit

All smiles! Toby stood out from the crowd in a mustard-coloured tracksuit

Bouncing along: The ex-Love Island contestant appeared in jubilant spirits

Bouncing along: The ex-Love Island contestant appeared in jubilant spirits

Alison’s ITV show This Morning will compete with The Chase, The Repair Shop and Loose Women for the Daytime Award. 

Neighbours is set to go head-to-head with UK soaps, EastEnders, Coronation Street and Emmerdale for Serial Drama award.

The Australian show has been nominated for one final final gong at the upcoming ceremony, after its 37 year TV reign ended with an emotional finale in July.

Tom Parker – who died aged 33 in March following a battle with brain cancer – receives a posthumous nomination for his moving documentary, Inside My Head.  

This year’s NTA shortlist features more streamers than ever before, reflecting the changing broadcasting landscape.

Tuned in: Davide had a pair of wireless headphones in

Tuned in: Davide had a pair of wireless headphones in

The likes of Heartstopper, After Life, Sex Education, Bridgerton and Clarkson’s Farm prove the sheer breadth of programming that the digital providers now offer.

Four productions that set pulses racing for very different reasons compete for the New Drama award. Heartstopper became an instant coming-of-age classic, while This is Going to Hurt provided a visceral look at life on the NHS frontline.

Time, meanwhile, took us behind bars to show us the brutal realities of prison, and Trigger Point proved to be an incendiary Sunday-night hit.

The Talent Show contenders each gave us showstopping moments, with Krystal Versace becoming the youngest ever winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, while Rose Ayling-Ellis gave us a glimpse into her world with a silent Strictly Come Dancing routine.

Outfit details: Katie, who sported a hoodie and bomber jacket, wore her blonde locks loose and covered her pretty visage with a pair of cat-eye style sunglasses

Outfit details: Katie, who sported a hoodie and bomber jacket, wore her blonde locks loose and covered her pretty visage with a pair of cat-eye style sunglasses

Luggage: The actress carried a Gucci holdall in one hand and her outfit in the other

Luggage: The actress carried a Gucci holdall in one hand and her outfit in the other

The private lives of well-known faces were revealed in the candid Authored Documentary category.

Inaugural winner Kate Garraway gave an update on her husband’s treatment in Caring for Derek, and Katie Price shared her son’s next chapter in What Harvey Did Next.

Plus, Julia Bradbury charted her medical journey in Breast Cancer & Me, Paddy and Christine McGuinness shed light on disability in Our Family and Autism, while The Wanted’s Tom receives a nomination for his moving cancer study.

Elsewhere, comic Axel Blake wowed crowds on Britain’s Got Talent and Natalie Imbruglia kept us guessing as the triumphing costumed performer on The Masked Singer.

Chatting: Katie was busy chatting to her male pal

Chatting: Katie was busy chatting to her male pal

Stacked! Katie was travelling with plenty of luggage

Stacked! Katie was travelling with plenty of luggage

There were head-turning entrances and exits in the Drama Performance category, with Vicky McClure fraying nerves in the debut of Trigger Point, while Cillian Murphy (Peaky Blinders) and Nicola Walker (The Split) both said goodbye to beloved roles.

Plus, Jonathan Bailey took centre stage in the second season of racy period phenomenon Bridgerton.

The Bruce Forsyth Entertainment Award continues to honour those who keep the spirit of consummate showman Brucie alive.

Two Ant & Dec favourites – Saturday Night Takeaway and I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! – are in contention, with competition coming from often-surreal but always-hilarious Taskmaster and A-lister magnet The Graham Norton Show.

In Comedy the heartbreaking final series of Ricky Gervais’ After Life takes on the finely tuned farce of Not Going Out.

Also in contention for the coveted award are Sex Education and Derry Girls, which delivered a fittingly emotional finale that left viewers wanting more.

THE FULL 2022 NATIONAL TELEVISION AWARDS NOMINEES

NEW DRAMA 

Heartstopper

This Is Going To Hurt

Time

Trigger Point 

 

TALENT SHOW 

Britain’s Got Talent

RuPaul’s Drag Race UK

Strictly Come Dancing

The Masked Singer 

 

AUTHORED DOCUMENTARY 

Julia Bradbury: Breast Cancer and Me 

Kate Garraway: Caring for Derek

Katie Price: What Harvey Did Next

Paddy and Christine McGuinness: Our Family and Autism

Tom Parker: Inside My Head 

 

RETURNING DRAMA 

Bridgerton

Call the Midwife

Peaky Blinders

The Split 

 

TV PRESENTER

Alison Hammond

Ant & Dec

Bradley Walsh

Graham Norton 

 

FACTUAL ENTERTAINMENT

Clarkson’s Farm

Gogglebox

Paul O’Grady: For the Love of Dogs

The Great British Bake Off 

 

DRAMA PERFORMANCE 

Cillian Murphy, Thomas Shelby, Peaky Blinders

Jonathan Bailey, Anthony Bridgerton, Bridgerton

Nicola Walker, Hannah, The Split

Vicky McClure, Lana Washington, Trigger Point 

 

THE BRUCE FOSRYTH ENTERTAINMENT AWARD 

Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway 

I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! 

Taskmaster

The Graham Norton Show

SERIAL DRAMA

Coronation Street

EastEnders

Emmerdale

Neighbours 

 

EXPERT

 Jay Blades

Kaleb Cooper

Martin Lewis

Sir David Attenborough

 

SERIAL DRAMA PERFORMANCE 

Mark Charnock, Marlon Dingle, Emmerdale

Paige Sandhu, Meena Jutla, Emmerdale

Rose Ayling-Ellis, Frankie Lewis, EastEnders

 

QUIZ GAME SHOW 

Beat the Chasers

In for a Penny

Michael McIntyre’s The Wheel

The 1% Club

 

RISING STAR 

Charithra Chandran, Edwina Sharma, Bridgerton

Joe Locke, Charlie Spring, Heartstopper

Kit Connor, Nick Nelson, Heartstopper

Paddy Bever, Max Turner, Coronation Street 

 

DAYTIME 

Loose Women

The Chase

The Repair Shop

This Morning

 

COMEDY

After Life

Derry Girls

Not Going Out

Sex Education

 

TALENT SHOW JUDGE

Anton Du Beke

David Walliams

Mo Gilligan

RuPaul

***
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