‘I was at the NTAs – the reaction to Gary Lineker’s win was incredible’

Last night, the great and good of British TV travelled to the London O2 for the National Television Awards. 

Yet it wasn’t just stars of the small screen who made the trip despite Tube strikes and the rain.

Entertainment journalists across Blighty had to get on their Sunday best and make the surprisingly difficult trip to the Greenwich Peninsula as well. 

That included yours truly, who got his velvet frock coat out of mothballs for a night of hobnobbing with the aristocrats of the airwaves. 

So how was it? Well, honestly, it’s a bit like a more high-stakes school prize-giving where you don’t have to pretend to care who won. 

Ok, that’s a bit glib. It was a truly historic night for NTAs that saw titans fall, clay figures praised, and countless bottles of fizz quaffed. 

Yet while the cameras might have caught the on-stage sights and sounds, there was plenty happening in the arena that the cameras couldn’t capture. 

So here’s what it was really like to attend the 30th NTAs.

Metro’s Deputy TV Editor, Tom Percival, reveals what it was like behind the scenes at the NTAs. 

If you take a look at social media this morning, you’ll see plenty of people are very pleased that Gary Lineker won the best presenter award. 

That feeling isn’t just contained to social media. When Gary’s name was read out, the cheers and applause were incredible. It was like Oasis had just wandered on stage, and as the Match of the Day theme began to play, it was impossible to stifle a grin. 

Were the attendees just happy to see an underdog triumph after Ant and Dec dominated the category for years? Potentially, but I don’t think so. 

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Host Rob Brydon made his thoughts on the reports circulating about a second season of Destination X crystal clear when asked by Metro if there was any news.

‘No, I mean, I read there were stories in the paper a few weeks ago that it was coming back, but [there is] nothing official. But the response – people always say this, don’t they – but it’s true, people [are] coming up to me all the time. So I’d be thrilled because I loved doing it…’ he said.

Reflecting on Destination X being compared to The Traitors, he revealed that originally he thought the show ‘wasn’t my cup of tea’ but soon became ‘sucked into it’.

He continued: ‘I’m a big fan. And yeah, it has undoubtedly spawned a lot of shows, and I think ours is distinct enough to stand out because you get that incredible photography.

‘We went to some astonishing places, and it was so beautifully shot. I think that’s part of the enjoyment and the playing along.’ 

Over in the chilly winner’s room, I pitched up with my phone ready to chow down on some delicious dinner – a Cheese ploughman’s and some cheese and onion walkers’ crisps.

No doubt exactly what the celebs were being served up on the other side of the O2.

If there’s one perk to the press room, it’s far enough into the night that nearly all the celebs are four or five drinks down and just about holding it together.

They may manage to make it through their speech up on stage, but come the winner’s room, the façade does start to fall apart.

Sian Welby declared she was several tequila shots down, Davina McCall was resisting pulling a naughty pose for the camera, and Jeremy Clarkson happily waxed on about not having a clue who Jay-Z and Beyonce were.

Oh, and Billy Ray Cyrus ominously stomped on stage to pose like a Madame Tussauds wax model. It’s near unfiltered chaos, and we’re here for it.

The 30th National Television Awards are available to stream now on ITVX

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