This Morning’s Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield wish Alison Hammond good luck at the NTAs

This morning’s Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield wished Alison Hammond the best of luck at the 27th National Television Awards on Thursday.

Alison, 47, was nominated for Best TV Presenter, while Holly and Phil were conspicuously absent from the category nominations.

Although the double act is praised by the organizers during the day, they showed their support to fellow This Morning presenter Alison on Instagram, with a radiant selfie and a message of happiness.

Holly, 41, wrote on her Instagram Stories: ‘Our girl Alison Hammond is up for an NTA’

While Phil, 60, wrote: ‘Good luck tonight Alison Hammond’

Alison will face Ant and Dec, both 46, who are shortlisted for the 21st straight year, while the ITV show itself will compete with The Chase, The Repair Shop and Loose Women for the Daytime Award.

Speaking on This Morning on Thursday, Alison said, “I have that impostor syndrome…I see it from the outside thinking ‘is this really real?’ I’ve been to the awards ceremony so many times and I’m fine with sitting in the background and letting other people take the spotlight.’

She continued: “Just to be nominated, I know everyone is saying it, but it’s such a defining moment, I feel like I’m standing on the shoulders of giants in a way…and you guys voted and me pushed through! It feels so weird – there’s Graham Norton, Bradley Walsh and our Geordie Duo who are just incredible…and I’m sitting there with them!

“It’s just so bizarre and I’m just so grateful for this moment, I don’t care what else happens… we’re going to have a great night tonight.”

When Phillip asked, “Have you thought quietly about what to say?”

Alison laughed, ‘Yeah, I’ve got a speech… seven pages, honey! haha! I’m just kidding! I’m just going with the moment. Of course I would love to win, it would mean so much to me and my family.

“I’m just this girl from a municipal estate in Birmingham, I’ve worked really, really hard, and I’m doing it for the common people who thought they weren’t good enough to be there, or couldn’t dream big enough so I want to do it for everyone so if I win we all win man!’

Holly said, ‘You can do it!’

Alison admitted: “I feel like I’ve already won. It’s unbelievable… it’s a nice feeling to be seen and heard.’

Holly added: ‘And it would be extra special this year because it’s your 20th year here [on This Morning] which we all celebrated recently.’

Alison went on to talk about her time on the show, saying: “It was just lovely, it made me realize how cunning my family is keeping [the surprise] mine, but it was so nice to see everyone and I couldn’t believe you got all those old images from way back…’

Speaking of her affiliation with Friday’s co-host Dermot O’Leary, she added: ‘Dermot came to my house recently and I just love him so much. He is my partner in crime. I just love him.

‘He came down and I cooked him some chicken, rice and peas and he said it was the best dinner he’s ever had! I said to him, ‘Aidan isn’t that good, so I’ll just take him to the doctors, relax here,’ and he said, ‘No Al, I’m going to the doctor with you, I’m like his TV dad’! So we all went to the doctors who were all in the waiting room – Dermot from The X Factor is with the doctors with me – it was so weird!’

ITV bosses are said to consider ‘increasing security’ for Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield during the upcoming NTAs.

MailOnline understands that the pair are eager to attend the October 13 event, despite staying in the center of a row over allegations that they jumped in line at the Queen’s in state.

The pair have been the subject of online abuse in the wake of the claims, and a petition to have the duo fired from their lucrative presentation roles has reached more than 75,000 signatures in just over a week.

In light of the ‘queue-jumping’ queue, a source told MailOnline that ITV bosses are aware the NTAs could pose ‘risks’ to the couple and they will take ‘measures’ overnight, insisting that ‘keeping them safe is ‘100 percent in the planning’.

Our source said: ‘Phil and Holly haven’t missed an NTA Awards in years. While they regret any offense people have felt by what happened at Westminster, they both remain steadfast in their view that they have done nothing wrong.

“So they don’t see why they should hide and keep their heads down.

However, ITV is aware that the event poses risks for the couple. It’s the biggest TV Awards of the year and there will be a lot of people in attendance, including many who may not agree with what Phil and Holly did.

“The magnitude and nature of the abuse they have received – mainly through social media – is shocking.

“That’s why senior executives will make sure steps are taken overnight to ensure Phillip, Holly and the rest of the This Morning team are kept as safe as possible.”

However, MailOnline has been informed that it is unlikely that the presenting duo will begin their usual marathon drinking sessions after the awards ceremony.

In previous years, Holly and Phillip have let viewers down by arriving to host This Morning’s hangover after the star-studded NTAs.

Our source added: ‘Phillip and Holly realize they need to be careful now so that they don’t go out after the Awards and put themselves in situations that expose them to unnecessary risk.

“The past week or so has been the worst period of Phil and Holly’s careers. Holly especially found it hard. But now they are determined to put this behind them and move on.’

The NTAs have been moved following the devastating news that Queen Elizabeth II passed away on September 8 at the age of 96.

The annual award ceremony has been moved to Thursday, October 13, from next Thursday, September 15.

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

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