National Television Awards pick first all-female shortlist for drama acting award
National Television Awards pick first all-female shortlist for drama acting award
Paul Glynn - Culture reporter Tue, August 18, 2026 at 12:25 PM UTC
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Ella Bruccoleri is nominated for playing Mary Bennet in the BBC's The Other Bennet Sister
National Television Awards voters have selected an all-female shortlist in the best drama performance category for the first time.
The five nominees include previous winner Sheridan Smith, who played campaigner Ann Ming in ITV true crime drama I Fought The Law, and Gavin & Stacey's Ruth Jones for her role in Netflix thriller Run Away.
Vicky McClure gets the nod as Trigger Point's Lana Washington, while Ella Bruccoleri is shortlisted for alternative period drama The Other Bennet Sister, and Judy Parfitt is nominated for playing Sister Monica Joan in Call The Midwife.
The nominees were chosen in a public vote from an initial longlist that also included stars like David Tennant, Gary Oldman, Idris Elba, James Norton and Tom Hiddleston.
A second stage of voting is now open to pick the winners in the NTAs' 15 categories.
Elsewhere on this year's shortlists, Stacey Solomon has scored a hat-trick of nominations including best TV presenter.
That particular award was won last year by then-outgoing Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker, breaking Ant and Dec's remarkable 23-year winning run.
Solomon will go up against the Geordie duo for this year's gong as well as Sir David Attenborough in his 100th birthday year, Traitors and chat show host Claudia Winkleman and Alison Hammond.
In the inaugural celebrity-led reality docuseries award, Solomon and her partner Joe Swash face competition from boxer Tyson Fury, Jeremy Clarkson and Emmerdale actor-turned-farmer Kelvin Fletcher, as well as funny fishermen Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse.
Mrs Brown's Boys – which this week officially cancelled its festive specials due to creator and star Brendan O'Carroll's broken jaw - has a nomination for best comedy.
Other nominated shows include Canadian breakout romance Heated Rivalry (for best new drama) and Winkleman and Tess Daly's final series of Strictly Come Dancing (for best talent show).
The NTAs, which recognise the best in British TV over the past twelve months, first launched in 1995 and the winners will be voted for by the public between now and midday on 8 September - the day of the ceremony.
Hosted again by comedian Joel Dommett, the event will take place at London's O2 arena and will be broadcast live on ITV1 and ITVX from 20:00 BST.
The National Television Awards nominations in full
Reality competition
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I'm A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!
I'm A Celebrity… South Africa
Race Across the World
The Celebrity Traitors
The Traitors
New drama
A Woman of Substance
Believe Me
Heated Rivalry
I Fought The Law
The Other Bennet Sister
Quiz show
Ant & Dec's Limitless Win
Michael McIntyre's The Wheel
Richard Osman's House of Games
The 1% Club
The Chase
Authored documentary
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
Returning drama
Blue Lights
Bridgerton
Call the Midwife
Stranger Things
Trigger Point
TV presenter
Alison Hammond
Ant & Dec
Claudia Winkleman
David Attenborough
Stacey Solomon
Reality docuseries
At Home With The Furys
Clarkson's Farm
Fletchers' Family Farm
Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing
Stacey & Joe
Comedy
Amandaland
Changing Ends
Last One Laughing
Mrs Brown's Boys
Not Going Out
Drama performance
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
Gladiators
Michael McIntyre's Big Show
The Graham Norton Show
The Masked Singer
Would I Lie to You?
Serial drama
Casualty
Coronation Street
EastEnders
Emmerdale
Hollyoaks
Serial drama performance
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
Factual entertainment
24 Hours in Police Custody
Gogglebox
Secret Garden
Sort Your Life Out
The Martin Lewis Money Show Live
Daytime
Good Morning Britain
James Martin's Saturday Morning
Loose Women
Scam Interceptors
This Morning
Talent show
Britain's Got Talent
Strictly Come Dancing
The Great British Bake Off
The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer
The Great Pottery Throw Down
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Post Office victim criticises government at TV awards
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
