The National Television Awards 2026 nominations have been revealed, with Sheridan Smith, Ruth Jones, Sir David Attenborough, Ant & Dec, Claudia Winkleman and Stacey Solomon among the major names competing when the ceremony returns to The O2 in London on September 8.

This year’s shortlist includes an NTA first: the Drama Performance category has an all-female line-up. A new Reality Docuseries category has also been introduced, putting celebrity-led programmes including Clarkson’s Farm and At Home With The Furys in direct competition.

Sheridan Smith and Ruth Jones make NTA history

Sheridan Smith is nominated for playing Ann Ming in I Fought The Law, while Ruth Jones is recognised as Elena Ravenscroft in Run Away.

They face Ella Bruccoleri as Mary Bennet in The Other Bennet Sister, Judy Parfitt as Sister Monica Joan in Call the Midwife and Vicky McClure as Lana Washington in Trigger Point. Together, they form the first all-female Drama Performance shortlist in NTA history.

Stacey Solomon also has a strong presence. She is nominated for TV Presenter, Sort Your Life Out is shortlisted for Factual Entertainment, and Stacey & Joe is competing for Reality Docuseries.

David Attenborough and Ant & Dec compete for presenter prize

Sir David Attenborough has received double recognition in the year he celebrated his 100th birthday. He is nominated for TV Presenter, while Secret Garden is shortlisted for Factual Entertainment.

Attenborough faces Alison Hammond, Claudia Winkleman, Stacey Solomon and Ant & Dec. The latter return after their remarkable 23-year winning streak in the presenter category ended in 2025 when Gary Lineker won the award.

Ant & Dec also feature in Quiz Show with Ant & Dec’s Limitless Win.

Tyson Fury and Jeremy Clarkson battle for new award

The new Reality Docuseries category features At Home With The Furys, Clarkson’s Farm, Fletchers’ Family Farm, Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing and Stacey & Joe.

It puts Tyson Fury’s family series against Jeremy Clarkson’s farming programme and reflects the growing place of personality-led factual shows in British television.

Clarkson has had another notable year in entertainment, with the Hawkstone Farmers Choir winning Britain’s Got Talent 2026 after becoming the first choir to win the competition.

The Traitors and Heated Rivalry join the race

Reality Competition includes The Traitors and The Celebrity Traitors, alongside I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!, I’m A Celebrity… South Africa and Race Across the World.

Heated Rivalry is nominated for New Drama alongside A Woman of Substance, Believe Me, I Fought The Law and The Other Bennet Sister. The nomination follows another major awards showing after Heated Rivalry won 16 Canadian Screen Awards, including Best Drama Series.

NTA 2026 nominations in full

Reality Competition: 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, The Other Bennet Sister; Judy Parfitt, Call the Midwife; Ruth Jones, Run Away; Sheridan Smith, I Fought The Law; Vicky McClure, Trigger Point.

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; Gareth Pierce; Jeff Hordley; Paul Bradley; Sue Devaney.

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.

NTA 2026 date, TV time and how to vote

The 31st National Television Awards take place at The O2 in London on Tuesday, September 8, 2026. Joel Dommett will host the ceremony for the sixth time, with the awards broadcast live on ITV1 and ITVX from 8pm.

Public voting is open through the official National Television Awards voting page and closes at midday on September 8, just hours before the ceremony.

For people attending at The O2, early concourse access begins at 6pm and the main doors open at 7pm. North Greenwich on the Jubilee line is the nearest Underground station.

The public vote will decide whether Ant & Dec reclaim the presenter prize, whether Attenborough wins in his centenary year, and who takes the trophy from the NTAs’ historic all-female Drama Performance shortlist.