The National Television Awards have unveiled the first ever all-female drama shortlist for the 31st annual ceremony.
The awards celebrate girl power after male titans of the acting world, including Cillian Murphy, David Tennant and Matt Smith, have lifted the gong in the past.
This year’s contenders include Gavin & Stacey’s Ruth Jones, who is nominated for her role in the gritty Netflix thriller Run Away.
Sheridan Smith was able to pick up the award for the second time thanks to her role as Ann Ming in ITV true crime drama I Fought The Law, after first winning in 2015 playing another real-life role, Cilla Black.
Vicky McClure has received the honor for the third time – and her second nomination as Trigger Point’s Lana Washington.
Ella Bruccoleri is shortlisted as Mary Bennet in The Other Bennet Sister and Judy Parfitt as Sister Monica Joan in Call The Midwife.
One of the female nominees joins the handful of women, Sheridan, Suranne Jones and Sarah Lancashire, who have raised the gong since 2015.
National Television Awards has unveiled the shortlist for its 31st annual ceremony; photo Claudia Winkleman
The awards will return with Joel Dommett as host as I’m A Celebrity and The Traitors both achieve double nominations for reality competition; pictured Ant and Dec
The final round of voting started on August 18 to decide who will lift the trophies at the star-studded awards, which will be held at London’s O2 Arena on September 8.
The awards will return with Joel Dommett as host as I’m A Celebrity and The Traitors both achieve double nominations for the reality competition.
Two of TV’s biggest franchises go head-to-head. I’m A Celebrity… takes over the South African spin-off, while The Celebrity Traitors takes on the civilian version.
But hoping to weave its way through them all is Race Across the World.
In the TV presenter category, can Ant & Dec take back their crown to claim their 24th win, or will the chance to greet Sir David Attenborough in his 100th year prove too perfect for voting viewers.
Their rivals Alison Hammond, Claudia Winkleman and Stacey Solomon cannot be ruled out either.
In the new Reality Docuseries category, which recognizes the popularity of star-led entry series, the trophy will grace the mantelpiece of Pickle Cottage of Diddly Squat as Stacey Solomon and husband Joe Swash take on Jeremy Clarkson.
Fly-on-the-wall BBC series Stacey & Joe is about the agricultural saga Clarkson’s Farm. They also get to deal with the domestic dramas of At Home With The Furys and Fletchers’ Family Farm.
Also in the category is Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing.
Five big hits compete for the New Drama trophy. A fresh take on Pride & Prejudice, The Other Bennet Sister charmed viewers and boosted the Jane Austen industry.
Another classic got an update with Barbara Taylor Bradford’s epic retelling of A Woman of Substance.
These contenders couldn’t contrast more sharply with the hard-hitting crime dramas Believe Me and I Fought the Law, or the racy ice hockey melodrama Heated Rivalry.
NTAs have unveiled the first ever all-female drama shortlist, with Sheridan Smith, Ruth Jones and Vicky McClure (pictured) all going head-to-head
There are powerful stories, expertly told in Authored Documentary – a search for answers in Caroline Flack: Search for the Truth, career candor in Jesy Nelson: Life After Little Mix, moving tributes in Our Girls: The Southport Families and Sharon & Ozzy Osbourne: Coming Home.
Plus courage in the face of a devastating diagnosis in Sir Chris Hoy: Cancer, Courage and Me. Whichever film prevails will undoubtedly create a moving moment during the evening at The O2.
Returning Drama honors the shows whose comebacks are always welcome, from Blue Lights, Bridgerton, Call the Midwife, Trigger Point or Stranger Things.
In Comedy, Amandaland competes against Alan Carr’s coming-of-age gem Changing Ends, as well as Mrs Brown’s Boys, Not Going Out and Last One Laughing.
In the Serial Drama category, defending champion EastEnders aims to retain its crown, while Coronation Street and Emmerdale have their eyes on the prize after a high-profile year that saw the two ITV soaps team up for the Corriedale crossover.
Hollyoaks celebrated its big birthday by keeping up to date with happenings at Brookside Close and a hard-to-name shortlist is joined by medical stalwart Casualty in its 40th anniversary year.
Competing for the Bruce Forsyth Entertainment Award are Gladiators, The Graham Norton Show, The Masked Singer, Michael McIntyre’s Big Show and Would I Lie To You?
The Quiz Show category is a hard-fought battle of deserving hits, with Ant & Dec’s Limitless Win, Michael McIntyre’s The Wheel, Richard Osman’s House of Games, The 1% Club and The Chase highlighting the diversity of our own game shows.
In Serial Drama Performance, EastEnder’s Paul Bradley is nominated (for Nigel’s tragic farewell), as is his castmate Aaron Thiara (for Ravi’s mental health crisis).
Meanwhile, Emmerdale’s Jeff Hordley is rewarded for imbuing Cain Dingle with a new-found vulnerability.
In Coronation Street, Sue Devaney earns a nomination for portraying Debbie’s sad decline, and Gareth Pierce is singled out for his powerful portrayal of Todd Grimshaw, the victim of coercive control.
In the new Reality Docuseries category, which recognizes the popularity of star-led entry series, Stacey and Joe go head-to-head against Clarkson’s Farm, At Home With The Furys and Fletchers’ Family Farm
Diaries continued to be set during the day, with Good Morning Britain, This Morning and Loose Women providing endless talking points.
Elsewhere, there was plenty of culinary inspiration for the weekend in James Martin’s Saturday Morning, while Scam Interceptors did valuable work to arm us against internet fraud.
It’s another hard-to-call clash in Factual Entertainment as Sort Your Life Out takes on The Martin Lewis Money Show Live’s money-saving consumer campaigns.
As Sir David Attenborough’s Secret Garden revealed the hidden wild world of Britain’s backyards and 24 Hours in Police Custody continues to deliver gripping true crime stories, while beloved Gogglebox couch potatoes should never be left out.
Talent Show continues to be a top viewership category as millions of viewers come together to cheer on their favorites.
What would Saturday nights be without the stunning entertainment of Strictly Come Dancing or Britain’s Got Talent, as they take on The Great British Bake Off, The Great Pottery Throw Down and for the first time, The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer.
We can also expect a Special Recognition Award this year, honoring the contribution of a TV great to the viewing nation – with the recipient to be announced on the evening.
The event will be broadcast live on ITV and ITVX on September 8 from 8pm.
