The Public Has Voted: Here Are the National Television Awards 2026 Winners
The 2026 National Television Awards crowned Emmerdale best serial drama, gave Alan Carr the Special Recognition Award and named David Attenborough TV Presenter. The winners from the public-voted ceremony hosted by Joel Dommett in London.
By the UISC BD Editorial Desk · United Information Service Center · Published 14 September 2026 · 4-minute read
"NTA winners 2026" is the second fastest-rising "2026" search in the UK on Google Trends this week, and in Ireland interest in the awards also surged. Google Ads data shows "National Television Awards" drew around 90,500 UK searches in the month of last year's ceremony.
The Headline Winners
- Special Recognition Award: Alan Carr
- TV Presenter: David Attenborough
- Serial Drama: Emmerdale
- Serial Drama Performance: Jeff Hordley (Emmerdale)
- Drama Performance: Vicky McClure (Trigger Point)
- New Drama: I Fought the Law
- Returning Drama: Call the Midwife
Entertainment, Reality and Factual
- Reality Competition: The Celebrity Traitors
- Reality Docuseries: Clarkson's Farm
- Quiz Show: The 1% Club
- Entertainment: Michael McIntyre's Big Show
- Daytime: This Morning
- Factual: Gogglebox
- Comedy: Mrs Brown's Boys
The Ceremony
The awards were hosted in London by Joel Dommett, presenting for a sixth year.
Why the NTAs Are Different
Unlike industry awards judged by professionals, the National Television Awards are decided by public vote. That makes them a snapshot of what British viewers actually watch and love — which is why long-running favourites such as soaps, quizzes and daytime shows often perform strongly.
Standout Moments
Alan Carr's recognition honours a career spanning comedy, chat shows and entertainment formats.
David Attenborough winning TV Presenter shows the lasting public affection for the naturalist and broadcaster.
Emmerdale's double — the serial drama prize plus Jeff Hordley's performance award — made it one of the night's biggest winners.
How the Public Vote Works
Voting typically happens in two stages. An open longlist lets viewers back their favourites across each category. The most popular choices then go through to a shortlist, and a final round of voting decides the winners shown on the night. Voting is free through the official National Television Awards website, and it usually closes shortly before or during the live broadcast.
Want Your Say Next Year?
- Vote only through official NTA channels — you never need to pay or share bank details.
- Watch for the longlist announcement, as early votes shape the shortlist.
- Encourage friends and family to vote for shows you love; every vote counts in a public poll.
More Awards Season
Across the Atlantic, American television is celebrating too — see our Emmys 2026 guide and the Creative Arts Emmy winners.
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- Ganesh Chaturthi 2026: Date, Sthapana Muhurat and How the Festival Is Celebrated
- The Block 2026: Meet Rick and Tayla, the Father-Daughter Team in House 5
Sources
- "National Television Awards 2026: here is the full list of winners," The Scotsman — scotsman.com
- "Who won at the National Television Awards 2026? Full list of winners revealed," Heart — heart.co.uk
- "Winners," National Television Awards — nationaltvawards.com
