Gary Lineker Wins TV Presenter Prize at National Television Awards, Ending Ant and Dec's 23-Year Streak
Gary Lineker, the former host of Match Of The Day, recently won the TV Presenter prize at the National Television Awards, ending Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly's 23-year winning streak. Lineker, who left the BBC show in May, expressed his gratitude for the recognition and highlighted the importance of using his platform to speak up for those without a voice. He also praised Ant and Dec, acknowledging their brilliance and the honor of following in their footsteps. Lineker shared his excitement about having weekends off for the first time in his adult life and mentioned his upcoming show on ITV, The Box, which he will start filming soon.
Lineker's victory at the National Television Awards comes after his long tenure as the host of Match Of The Day, taking over from Des Lynam in 1999. He triumphed over other nominees such as Claudia Winkleman, Alison Hammond, and Stacey Solomon. Comedian Michael McIntyre also celebrated a win at the ceremony, expressing his desire to win three NTAs. McIntyre, who won the Bruce Forsyth entertainment gong for Michael McIntyre’s Big Show, humorously reflected on his past experiences at the event and his hopes for additional wins that evening.
Jeremy Clarkson was thrilled to receive the award for best factual entertainment show for Clarkson’s Farm, emphasizing the recognition of the challenges faced in farming. Other winners at the National Television Awards included Call The Midwife for best returning drama, Steve McFadden for serial drama performance, and I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! for best reality competition. The event, hosted by comedian Joel Dommett, featured appearances from various stars, including Elizabeth Hurley and Billy Ray Cyrus.