ITV made a huge blunder during tonight’s National Television Awards, revealing one category winner before they had been announced.
Viewers at home were left baffled as a still of Coronation Street‘s Peter Ash, in character as Paul Foreman, was displayed on the TV broadcast at the wrong moment.
It came while the nominees for Reality Competition were being read out, at the point when a clip of Race Across The World was shown.
Shortly afterwards, Peter was announced as the the recipient of the Serial Drama Performance Award for his role in the soap.
The gaffe didn’t go unnoticed by fans, who soon rushed to X, formerly Twitter.
One wrote: “Why did a dying Paul just pop up on our screens? calm down itv,” while another added: “Not the Paul jumpscare.”
Someone else joked: “Guess we know Corrie winning best soap then,” with a fourth asking: “Why was Paul on my screen there?”
One more chimed in with: “the random picture of paul from corrie????”
Peter said winning the gong was an “amazing way” to end his time on the soap opera.
The storyline for his character Paul Foreman saw him deteriorate as he battled with motor neurone disease (MND), the character recently dying from the disease.
Collecting the prize at the award ceremony in London, he said: “This is honestly incredible – what an amazing way to end my six years on Coronation Street.”
He also thanked the Corrie team and the charities which supported him, paying special tribute to Daniel Brocklebank, who played his on-screen husband Billy Mayhew.
Ash said he “couldn’t of wished for anyone better to have done this storyline with”.
At another point in the ceremony, viewers were left convinced they spotted Martin Lewis looking furious as he missed out on a gong to Stacey Solomon.
Stacey won the award for Factual Entertainment for her hit show Sort Your Life Out and was overcome with her emotion when her name was announced.
COMMENT BY ROD MCPHEE
THE only surprise at tonight’s National Television Awards was that there were virtually no surprises.
Ant and Dec took home Presenter Award for the millionth time, Strictly bagged the Talent Show gong and I’m A Celebrity triumphed in the Entertainment category.
Kate Garraway scooping the authored documentary award for Derek’s Story was entirely deserved, but not a total shock either as she’d already done the same two years ago with Caring for Derek.
There were a few curveballs. Emmerdale beating Goliath soaps EastEnders and Corrie was unexpected, particularly as the rivals have both boasted big storylines recently.
And though there was no doubting how hugely moving Mr BatesVs The Post Office was for viewers this year, it was still stunning to see them bag three awards.
Does the general lack of surprises diminish the thrill of the NTAs? Not at all. It remains one of the few awards shows which actually gauges what the majority of Brits are actually watching.
We live in a bewildering world where scandals often rock shows, in an age where streaming means the shared experience is diminished and ratings are hard to decipher.
But year in, year out NTA voters leave us in no doubt which shows they adore, which ones they’ve fallen out of love with, and which celebrities they’re prepared to back.
Look at how quickly relatively new shows like The Traitors, Bridgerton and The 1% Club have been embraced by NTA voters.
They aren’t interested in PR stunts and promotion, in highbrow actors and writers lauded by their fellow luvvies and they certainly can’t stand having what they ought to be watching dictated to them
They tell us all loud and clear, every year, who they consider to be the best – and woe betide any telly exec who ignores them.
But those watching at home noticed Martin’s face and rushed to comment on it.
One person remarked: “You could tell Martin Lewis was raging he wanted to win he’s sitting there thinking I do all this s** for what nothing.”
A second said: “Martin Lewis is fuuuuming.”
While a third added: “Martin Lewis is livid.”
“Martin Lewis didn’t look too happy,” said a fourth.
As well as The Martin Lewis Money Show, Stacey beat Clarkson’s Farm, Gogglebox, and The Yorkshire Vet in the factual entertainment category.
