Vicky Pattison has said she is "beyond proud" after her documentary on her family's relationship with alcohol was longlisted for a National Television Award.
The 35-year-old Newcastle star fronted Alcohol, Dad and Me on Channel 4 last year, which explored her dad John's battle with alcoholism and saw Vicky open up about her fears that she would follow him down the same path, as she addressed her own struggles with drinking and its impact on her career. Vicky said that she set out to make the documentary in order to "shed light" on an addiction that is "habitually misunderstood" by many.
The former Geordie Shore star was praised for her candidness and using her fame to help raise awareness of the issue - and now the powerful documentary has been officially recognised by one of the TV industry's biggest awards ceremonies. Responding to news that she had made the NTA longlist on Tuesday, an emotional Vicky admitted that she "hasn't stopped crying since".
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Vicky wrote on Instagram: "Last year, me and my family opened up our lives and made a film in the hopes that it would help other families struggling with alcoholism and addiction. We hoped to shed light on an issue that is often hidden away in the shadows and habitually misunderstood.
"Today I found out that it has been long listed for an @officialntas award... and I haven't stopped crying since," she said. Vicky admitted that she had "almost stopped" making the documentary on more than one occasion, due to her own "fear and apprehension" about how it would be received.
"I was so terrified that people wouldn't understand - that they would judge my dad or me? Or that they'd just be cruel and unkind," the star said. "And I have faced every criticism you can imagine over the years - but I couldn't allow my dad to go through that.
"I lay awake at nights worrying that I would fail in this new space and I had to ask myself if that anxiety and stress was worth it? But the messages I received from people afterwards were more than enough reassurance that we had done the right thing."
She added: "Messages from other children of alcoholics saying they'd had similar experiences and it felt good not to feel alone. Messages from parents saying it had forced them to think about the way the drank and finally messages from people struggling with alcohol dependency saying it forced them to face some harsh but much needed home truths about the devastating reality of this disease."
Vicky signed off the post: "I am beyond proud of my dad and what we created. I am grateful to Channel 4 for giving us the platform to make this powerful film and most of all, I can't thank you all enough for your support."
Viewers can now vote for who they want to make the shortlist for the awards on the NTA website. The results of the vote are set to be announced in August when the final round of voting begins, ahead of the ceremony on September 5.
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