National Television Awards 2026 nominations shortlist confirmed with first-ever all-female line-up for drama performance

The nominees for the National Television Awards 2026 have been revealed – and there’s a first for the popular ceremony.

The drama performance category features an all-female line-up for the first time, with I Fought the Law star Sheridan Smith going up against Trigger Point’s Vicky McClure.

Also nominated in that category are The Other Bennet Sister star Ella Bruccoleri, Call the Midwife’s Judy Parfitt and Ruth Jones, who’s nominated for her turn in the Harlan Coben thriller Run Away.

In the reality competition category, I’m A Celebrity will take on its South African spin-off in the category as well as BBC titan The Celebrity Traitors, which is also up against its civilian version. Also nominated in the same category is Race Across the World.

Meanwhile, Ant & Dec have been shortlisted for best TV presenter, with the duo set to go head-to-head with Sir David Attenborough, Alison Hammond, Claudia Winkleman and Stacey Solomon.

In the new drama category, Canadian TV hit Heated Rivalry is taking on Channel 4's adaptation of A Woman of Substance, ITV dramas Believe Me and I Fought the Law, and the BBC's The Other Bennet Sister.

The public will vote for the winners of the NTA 2026 awards, with the victors announced at the live ceremony broadcast on Tuesday 8 September 2026 on ITV and ITVX.

You can vote for your winners now for free online.

You can find the full list of nominations below:

  • I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!
  • I’m A Celebrity… South Africa
Hudson Williams' Shane Hollander and Connor Storrie's Ilya Rozanov in Heated Rivalry, with their foreheads touching and their eyes closed. Both are wearing tuxedos.
  • A Woman of Substance
  • Ant & Dec’s Limitless Win
  • Richard Osman’s House of Games
  • The 1% Club
  • Caroline Flack: Search for the Truth
  • Jesy Nelson: Life After Little Mix
  • Our Girls: The Southport Families
  • Sharon & Ozzy Osbourne: Coming Home
  • Sir Chris Hoy: Cancer, Courage and Me
  • Call the Midwife
  • At Home With The Furys
  • Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing
A group of four adults pose closely together in what appears to be a bar setting. In the foreground, a blonde woman with shoulder-length wavy hair and bangs faces the camera with a confident expression, wearing a light-colored top. Behind her to the right, a smiling man leans in casually. In front of him, a woman with light hair pulled back rests her head against the central figure’s shoulder, smiling warmly. On the left, an older woman in a patterned jacket and scarf drinks from a glass with a lemon slice, looking slightly away from the camera. The background is softly blurred, showing shelves of bottles and a cozy bar atmosphere.
  • Ella Bruccoleri, Mary Bennet (The Other Bennet Sister)
  • Judy Parfitt, Sister Monica Joan, (Call the Midwife)
  • Ruth Jones, Elena Ravenscroft, (Run Away)
  • Sheridan Smith, Ann Ming, (I Fought The Law)
  • Vicky McClure, Lana Washington, (Trigger Point)

The Bruce Forsyth Entertainment Award

  • Would I Lie to You?
Ravi looks around a corner in a scene from EastEnders
  • Aaron Thiara, Ravi Gulati, (EastEnders)
  • Gareth Pierce, Todd Grimshaw, (Coronation Street)
  • Jeff Hordley, Cain Dingle, (Emmerdale)
  • Paul Bradley, Nigel Bates, (EastEnders)
  • Sue Devaney, Debbie Webster, (Coronation Street)
  • 24 Hours in Police Custody
  • The Martin Lewis Money Show Live
  • The Great British Bake Off
  • The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer
  • The Great Pottery Throw Down

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Original source National Television Awards 2026 nominations shortlist confirmed with first-ever all-female line-up for drama performance

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