The National Television Awards 2023 sees Joel Dommett hosting for the third time, as he prepares to take to London’s O2 stage for a star-studded night to remember screened live on ITV1 on 5 September. All our favourite TV stars will be gracing the red carpet in their poshest outfits to celebrate all things telly while Whattowatch's sister magazine What’s On TV are again a voting partner so we can reveal the much-anticipated shortlist for this year’s 28th NTAs has landed (see below), and voting is open for all your favourite telly shows and stars!
"It’s such a special night and feels like telly Christmas, with the whole TV family around the table, having a drink and a laugh," says host Joel who spoke to us exclusively (see below for more).
Here we reveal some of the highlights from the 2023 voting shortlist for you to get excited about ahead of the big night as well as everything we know about The National Television Awards 2023...
National Television Awards 2023 air date
The National Television Awards 2023 will be shown live on ITV1 from London’s O2 Arena on Tuesday September 5 2023.
Who to vote for — shortlist nominees for the National Television Awards 2023
For the National Television Awards 2023 we’ve been spoiled by some fantastically gripping dramas, so the New Drama award is bound to be one of the most exciting of the night. Going up against word-of-mouth hit Blue Lights and Death in Paradise spin-off Beyond Paradise are creepy and kooky show Wednesday and Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story.
Meanwhile, it’s also heated contest between class acts Call the Midwife, Happy Valley, Vera nd Stranger Things for the much-coveted Returning Drama award. As for Drama Performance, we’ve seen them go head-to-head on screen in Happy Valley, but now Sarah Lancashire and James Norton will be battling out for the prize, alongside Brenda Blethyn, India Amarteifio and Call the Midwife’s Judy Parfitt, aka Sister Monica Joan.
There’s also an exciting new NTA award this year for the top TV Interview and the nominees feature Louis Theroux Interviews, Piers Morgan Uncensored, The Chris & Rosie Ramsey Show and The Graham Norton Show. You can also pick your favourite in a particularly emotional Authored Documentary category, with Dame Deborah James nominated for a posthumous award for Bowelbabe: In Her Own Words. Also in contention are Lewis Capaldi: How I’m Feeling Now, Matt Willis: Fighting Addiction and Rob Burrow: Living with MND. And if tears aren’t shed then, look out for the much-missed Paul O’Grady, who also receives a posthumous nomination for the final series of For the Love of Dogs for the Factual award.
There are plenty of other telly favourites hoping for an NTA trophy too, including Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway, The Masked Singer, Gogglebox and I’m a Celebrity… all fighting it out for The Bruce Forsyth Entertainment Award, and Ghosts, Ted Lasso, Young Sheldon and Brassic are lining up to win Best Comedy.
Testing our brainpower were four different shows that each offered a unique spin on the Quiz Game Show format. Back for a second successful run was The 1% Club, which competes here against fellow Saturday-night favourite Michael McIntyre’s The Wheel. Also proving enticing was Richard Osman’s House of Games, while Bradley Walsh ensured the pace never flagged in The Chase Celebrity Special.
Our money’s still on Ant & Dec to bag the best TV Presenter honour. The comedy duo have won for an extraordinary 21 years in a row. But if you want someone else to steal their crown you could pick Alison Hammond, Bradley Walsh, Martin Lewis or Claudia Winkleman, who presided over the hit reality show The Traitors..
Bobby Brazier, son of the late Jade Goody, who plays Freddie Slater in EastEnders, picking up Rising Star nomination. He's facing Benjamin Chivers, for Prime Video’s eerie The Devil’s Hour and Corrie’s Channique Sterling- Brown and Emmerdale’s Lewis Cope.
Despite the controversies that hit This Morning the daily show appears not to have lost its place in viewers’ affections as it makes the Shortlist but can it successfully defend its Daytime crown against The Chase, Loose Women and The Repair Shop.
With the voting now open, it’s down to you to choose the winners!
Shortlisted soap nominees for The National Television Awards 2023
As per usual in The National Television Awards, the 2023 contest between the soaps for the Serial Drama award is also set to be as intense as ever.
Emmerdale won last year, hot on the heels of Coronation Street the year before, but can they beat off rivals Corrie, EastEnders, Hollyoaks. Doctors and Home and Away to claim the prize?
All the soaps will also be backing their own stars for the Serial Drama Performance award, which has some seriously strong contenders this year, including Danielle Harold for Lola’s emotional brain cancer story in EastEnders and Charlotte Jordan for Daisy’s stalking struggles in Corrie with both facing Emmerdale's Dominic Brunt and Corrie's Maureen Lipman.
Dominic Brunt, who plays Paddy Kirk, says of his NTAs nomination: "I have never been nominated before so I’m quite nervous. But it’s amazing to be nominated and a testament to the research and the writing that went on for that specific story.
"I think Emmerdale deserve its nomination too. It's a nice building to work in and a great team. It feels unique in that way compared to other places I’ve worked. I’m also thrilled to bits that Lewis Cope’s been nominated in the ‘Rising Star’ category. It’s really well deserved and he’s a really nice lad and a hard worker.
"I’m nervous about attending this year but will try and just enjoy it without worrying about seeing myself on the big screen. But I’m really looking forward to it. I don’t care if I don’t win. It sounds cheesy but I absolutely mean it. I felt like I’d won all the awards when I got the job. I still remember I was on a mates settee, subletting a front room in London when I got a phone call for an audition and it changed my life completely. I just want to enjoy the night. The thought that I’ve been nominated for an NTA is enough for me."
How to vote — final voting for The National TV Awards 2023
Voting for The National TV Awards 2023 is easy — you can vote free online at nationaltvawards.com. All votes must be in by noon on Tuesday 5 September 2023, with new votes added to those already submitted in the first round of voting. Winners will be announced live at the ceremony on ITV1 on September 5, 2023 (see full Terms & Conditions and Privacy Notice at nationaltvawards.com)
Joel Dommett interview on the big battles in the 2023 NTAs
In The National Television Awards 2023 there are brand new categories, surprise guests, plus emotional tributes to late legends such as Barry Humphries for Dame Edna and Paul O Grady for Lily Savage and For the Love of Dogs. With the biggest TV names all under one roof, Joel talks us through some of the most hotly contested categories….
Drama Performance
They’ve faced off against each other a Happy Valley characters, now stars Sarah Lancashire and James Norton continue their epic battle. ‘"It’s extra exciting when people from the same show are up against each other," says Joel, "James Norton is lovely and Sarah Lancashire is obviously amazing." The pair face stiff competition from Vera’s Brenda Blethyn, Call the Midwife’s Judy Parfitt and India Amarteifio who shot to fame in Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story.
Reality Competition
This brand new category should be as tense as a Traitors breakfast! ‘The Traitors was the sleeper hit that got everyone talking’ says Joel. "It was amazing and feels like a massive part of this year’s telly but Race Across the World was also a huge word of mouth of success" The two are up against Love Island and SAS: Who Dares Wins.
Authored Documentary
This is sure to be an one emotional. "I’m really happy this category has been created because these powerful and often very emotional documentaries have become a massive part of TV," says Joel. The tear-jerking short-listed shows are Deborah James: Bowelbabe In Her Own Words, Lewis Capaldi: How I’m Feeling Now, Matt Willis: Fighting Addiction and Rob Burrow: Living with MND.
Bruce Forsyth Entertainment Award
Battling it out for this coveted prize is The Masked Singer which is up against Gogglebox, I’m A Celebrity and Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway. "I would obviously love The Masked Singer to win but it’s an unbelievably strong category," says Joel who hosts the ITV hit featuring concealed crooners. "We won a BAFTA this year so I feel like that’s a good start!"
Serial Drama
Emmerdale scooped the 2022 gong but will the cast be taking to the stage again, or will Eastenders, Corrie or Hollyoaks pip them? "When it comes to the serial dramas it’s the battle of the fittest," says Joel. "I love this category and get more starstruck with soap stars than anyone else!"
Who will be performing and appearing at the NTAs 2023?
It's not yeet been announced which stars will be performing for the The National TV Awards 2023, or appearing on stage, so do check back here for updates.
You can be there — how to get tickets to attend the NTAs 2023
Join host Joel Dommett and hundreds of stars for a night to remember at The National Television Awards 2023 on 5 September at London’s O2 Arena by booking your place at nationaltvawards.com for tickets.