Ant and Dec risk losing 23-year reign of success in huge National Television Awards twist

The stage is set for a high-stakes showdown at the as two of Britain’s most talked-about reality shows prepare to compete in the same category. I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! will now go up against in the newly reshuffled Reality Competition section - a major change that blends celebrity-fronted series with civilian-based formats.

This shake-up moves the jungle-based staple out of its usual Entertainment category, pitting the juggernaut against the ’s breakout psychological thriller in a battle that will surely divide the audience vote.

Big-name presenters also feature prominently this year, including , , , , and , whose departure from the BBC could make this his final shot at victory.

One unique highlight of this year’s nominations will be the first-ever father-and-son face-off at the NTAs, thanks to Bradley Walsh and his son Barney, who are both up for recognition following their work on the Gladiators reboot.

Meanwhile, ’s gripping drama Adolescence is poised for a strong showing, with four nods. Lead actor Stephen Graham, young co-star Owen Cooper, and Erin Doherty are all nominated for individual performances, while the show itself is a frontrunner in the New Drama category.

Fresh new series haven’t gone unnoticed either. Disney+ adaptation Rivals by Jilly Cooper and the BBC’s chaotic comedy Amandaland are both in contention.

I’m A Celebrity, which last year featured Maura Higgins, has amassed a staggering 15 NTA wins to date. However, The Traitors, which debuted in 2022, is undefeated in its category winning both years it has been nominated.

Elsewhere, fans of Gavin & Stacey will be hoping the show’s final episode finally gets its due, following a BAFTA snub, with a chance to score big in the Comedy category.

ITV also dominates nominations in the Bruce Forsyth Entertainment Award, boasting nostalgic revivals like Bullseye and You Bet!, as well as innovative new shows like 99 To Beat and the groundbreaking interview series The Assembly.

Over on Prime Video, Last One Laughing also enters the race, buoyed by the comedic chemistry between Bob Mortimer and Richard Ayoade, who kept audiences in stitches.

Soap operas, as always, remain a stronghold of talent. Steve McFadden earns acclaim for his haunting portrayal of Phil’s breakdown in , while ’s and Doctors alum Beth Cordingly are praised for their work on coercive control and sexual abuse storylines, respectively.

champion Jack P. Shepherd could also score for his powerful scenes in as David Platt’s unravels.

Returning Drama is another competitive category, marking significant transitions in long-running series. ITV’s Vera secures a nomination following Brenda Blethyn’s emotional departure. and Death in Paradise also land spots, thanks to their refreshed casts. They’ll battle streaming heavyweights like , Heartstopper, and Slow Horses.

In another thrilling match-up, Rivals leads David Tennant and Danny Dyer will face off in the Drama Performance category.

The NTAs will also highlight television’s power to tell deeply personal stories. The Authored Documentary section features several emotional standouts, including Freddie Flintoff’s Flintoff on Disney+, which shares his road to recovery after a horrific Top Gear accident.

The BBC also shines with Amy Dowden’s Cancer And Me and Sir Chris Hoy’s Finding Hope. Molly-Mae Hague scores a nod with her Prime Video documentary Behind It All, while Flintoff also doubles up with Field of Dreams in the Factual Entertainment category. There, he’ll compete with former co-stars and Chris Harris for Road Tripping.

Jeremy Clarkson is also in the running twice with nominations for both Clarkson’s Farm and The Grand Tour.

Fan-favorite programs like , The Voice UK, and Great British Bake Off continue to dominate the Talent show category, while , BBC Breakfast, , and are all recognised in the Daytime bracket.

Celebrating 25 years on air, Bargain Hunt also receives a nod. The revised Reality Competition category throws up another twist, as audiences are now forced to choose between celebrity and civilian versions of the same shows.

That includes Celebrity versus Big Brother, Celebrity Race Across the World versus the original format, and going head-to-head with Love Island: All Stars.

Even if I’m A Celebrity doesn’t pull off another win, presenters Ant and Dec remain frontrunners for the TV Presenter title - a title they’ve famously claimed for 23 consecutive years.

This year’s nominations also nod to innovation and reinvention, with shows like The Repair Shop On The Road and Policing Paradise breaking new ground in storytelling.

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