Martin Lewis has called on “somebody to get a grip on the economy” as he won the expert award at the National Television Awards,
The consumer champion admitted he was surprised to win the prize after being nominated against veteran broadcaster and environmentalist Sir David Attenborough, and also praised the other nominees, The Repair Shop’s Jay Blades and farming contractor Kaleb Cooper.
Collecting his prize at the ceremony at London’s OVO Wembley Arena, Lewis said: “It’s been a pretty horrible year financially.
The winner of TV Expert is Martin Lewis, a huge congratulations to your winner! ✨ #NTAs2022 pic.twitter.com/CpOt5eLyFB
— National TV Awards (@OfficialNTAs) October 13, 2022
“I mean, the energy crisis has been disastrous and left many people with terrible issues and mental health problems.
“I’m afraid the next year, with the mortgage problem and the knock-on to rent, is going to be pretty bad. And you know what? We need somebody to get a grip on the economy and put things a little bit back.”
I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! picked up the Bruce Forsyth Entertainment Award, beating Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway, Taskmaster and The Graham Norton Show to take the title.
The reigning I’m A Celebrity winner and Emmerdale star Danny Miller collected the award on the behalf of Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly as the pair had recently tested positive for Covid.
Miller thanked the presenting duo for “making the show what it is” and production staff for helping to get the show back on the road after a storm stopped filming for a number of days.
The best new drama award was picked up by new ITV thriller Trigger Point, which stars Vicky McClure.
Among the other nominees in the category were LGBTQ+ drama Heartstopper, medical memoir This Is Going To Hurt and prison drama Time.
Dressed in a glittering jumpsuit with a space design, Eurovision star Sam Ryder kicked off the award show with his hit song Space Man, which won him second place at the song contest earlier this year.
The talent show judge category was awarded to Strictly Come Dancing’s Anton Du Beke, seeing off competition from David Walliams, Mo Gilligan and RuPaul.
The King delivered a special message to the Emmerdale cast and crew for their 50th anniversary, praising the importance of the countryside.
After the speech, it was announced that Mark Charnock, who stars as Marlon Dingle in Emmerdale, had won the serial drama performance award.
Kate Garraway has also been nominated for her documentary about her family life as her husband battles the long-term effects of Covid.
The Good Morning Britain presenter is in contention for a second year in a row in the authored documentary category, having taken the award last year.
In 2021, she won for the first programme about her family’s life after her husband, former political adviser Derek Draper, spent a year in hospital being treated for Covid.
Reflecting on how she felt to be nominated again, she told the PA news agency on the red carpet: “It’s bittersweet, because you wouldn’t really want to be in a position to be making that documentary because it wouldn’t be a situation that you would choose.
“However, there were many nights when we feared Derek will be taken from us completely. So the fact that he fights on so incredibly, and we have the chance to care for him, is a fantastic thing.
“And to have the opportunity to celebrate the amazing work carers do, the professional carers, the millions of unpaid carers all across the country that are looking after loved ones, I think is a fantastic thing.”
Garraway faces competition in the category from Katie Price: What Harvey Did Next; Julia Bradbury: Breast Cancer And Me; and Paddy And Christine McGuinness: Our Family And Autism.
The National Television Awards continues on ITV.