I’ve already picked my National Television Awards winners - here’s who I think will be bringing home the trophies

Tonight is the 31st annual National Television Awards (NTA) and as a TV writer, I get very excited about big ceremonies and like nothing more than predicting who might win.

The competition is absolutely fierce, and the history-making, all-female shortlist in the best drama performance category is going to be next to impossible to call - never before has there only been all women in this line-up, and they're all incredible performers.

Ahead of the NTAs airing tonight, I've gone through the major categories and chosen who I think will be walking away with a trophy. I'll be watching along to see whether voters agree with me, and how many I get right.

Reality competition

The nominees:

• I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!
• I’m A Celebrity… South Africa
• Race Across the World
• The Celebrity Traitors
• The Traitors

Who I think will win: The Traitors.

I'll be honest, I'm not hugely into reality TV. But when it comes to The Traitors, I'm fully addicted, cannot miss an episode, and get so invested I end up having The Traitors related dreams.

I love everything from the compelling drama that comes from the high stakes and intense environment, to Claudia Winkleman's fashion, and can't actually find a downside to this perfection of a TV treat.

I was fairly enraged when The Traitors didn't win last year, so the show had better not walk away empty handed this year.

New drama

The nominees:

• A Woman of Substance
• Believe Me
• Heated Rivalry
• I Fought The Law
• The Other Bennet Sister

Who I think will win: The Other Bennet Sister.

This is a ridiculously strong category and really hard to call. Given the huge success of The Other Bennet Sister, the fact a Christmas special has been ordered after its global success, and rumours are circulating about a follow-up focussing on a different sister, I'm calling it as the winner.

I Fought The Law is a serious contender, and the one I nearly went with as the winner, but I think it will win in another category. I have also written about the joy me and my friends got from Heated Rivalry, and how much I adored A Woman of Substance, and would like them all to get recognition.

But for now, I'm standing by the sheer boundary-breaking delight of The Other Bennet Sister.

Returning drama

The nominees:

• Blue Lights
• Bridgerton
• Call the Midwife
• Stranger Things
• Trigger Point

Who I think will win: Blue Lights.

There was a slight controversy when Blue Lights won Best Drama Series at the 2025 BAFTA TV Awards, with a lot of people deeming it a 'shock.'

I wasn't shocked by this win in any way, because this drama is actually amazing. The gritty realism of life on the front line of policing in Northern Ireland is a real eye-opener, and the brilliant cast do justice to the very complex characters they've been tasked with portraying.

High tension and high stakes, this show really does have every ingredient a good police drama needs. I think it will replicate the BAFTA win and take home an NTA.

Comedy

The nominees:

• Amandaland
• Changing Ends
• Last One Laughing
• Mrs Brown’s Boys
• Not Going Out

Who I think will win: Amandaland.

So, if it's not Amandaland as the winner, we riot? Because for me, it absolutely has to get the trophy. The writing team need some recognition for penning something so funny, I'd still be laughing on my 100th re-watch.

The cast and their perfect comic timing, and minute expressions in all the right places need to be heralded for what they bring to their roles.

There's nothing bad to say about the show, and there's no justice if it doesn't get the gong.

Drama performance

The nominees:

• 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)

Who I think will win: Sheridan Smith.

This of course, is the history-making category that is a huge challenge to call. I think Sheridan Smith will win for her absolute powerhouse performance in the true-crime drama I Fought The Law.

To be honest, every single woman on this list could and should win, but in being forced to pick, it's Sheridan for this one.

I have to give an honourable mention to Judy Parfitt though. She's always brought a comforting, gentle charisma to Sister Monica Joan, and I think fans of the show will agree she knocked it out of the park for the character's final moments of Call the Midwife season 15.

Daytime

The nominees:

• Good Morning Britain
• James Martin’s Saturday Morning
• Loose Women
• Scam Interceptors
• This Morning

Who I think will win: Good Morning Britain.

Another one that's quite hard to call, I think GMB will pull it out of the bag. It's the show's first ever nomination at the ceremony, and they've put absolutely everything they have into their campaign to get votes.

That aside, they have a strong, professional line-up of presenters, and the show is always delivered effortlessly and is easy to watch.

Talent show

The nominees:

• 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

Who I think will win: Strictly.

I know the upcoming series has been shrouded in uncertainty and controversy, with professionals leaving and the presenting line-up changing completely.

But I believe that overall, the public still has a lot of room in their hearts and will make time in their viewing schedule to continue watching - and voting for - the beloved show.

I'm looking forward to the new hosts jiving into the studio to usher Strictly into a new era, and seeing which celebrity will bring their best dance moves to take the coveted glitterball trophy.

TV presenter

The nominees:

• Alison Hammond
• Ant & Dec
• Claudia Winkleman
• David Attenborough
• Stacey Solomon

Who I think will win: Claudia Winkleman.

Not only do I love Claudia, I think she's loved up and down the country and has achieved national treasure status.

I adore her outlook on life - how she embraces ageing and doesn't care what people think of her appearance. I'm enamoured by her enormous talent for presenting and how she comes across as someone I want to be best friends with.

I could listen to Claudia speak for hours and not get bored - any interview with her or anything she appears on, I can't get enough of. I really hope I'm right with this one: Go Claudia!

Authored documentary

The nominees

• 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

Who I think will win: Caroline Flack: Search for the Truth.

This is a very serious category, and all of these are important documentaries. I've chosen Caroline Flack: Search for the Truth because it resonated the most with me, and I think it will win.

As somebody who closely follows TV and celebrities as part of my job, this was a damning and devastating watch.

I also don't think the mistakes made in the handling of her case have been learnt from enough, and they're something everyone should be taking a bit more notice of and trying to challenge.

Reality docuseries

The nominees

• At Home With The Furys
• Clarkson’s Farm
• Fletchers’ Family Farm
• Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing
• Stacey & Joe

Who I think will win: Clarkson's Farm.

I know opinions on Jeremy Clarkson himself are mixed, but Clarkson's Farm is definitely the strongest contender in this category.

The show really has shone a light on the harsh and devastating state and reality of farming in this country. And Jeremy himself seems genuinely passionate about improving things and helping those in the industry.

Let's not forget about the cast of totally unforgettable characters that also appear on the series - and I don't just mean Richard Ham. From Caleb to Gerald, and Cheerful Charlie to Dilwyn, everyone who appears on the show makes it memorable.

Factual entertainment

The nominees:

• 24 Hours in Police Custody
• Gogglebox
• Secret Garden
• Sort Your Life Out
• The Martin Lewis Money Show Live

Who I think will win: Secret Garden.

In the year of his 100th birthday, it only seems fitting that David Attenborough and the Secret Garden crew take home the award. It's also the best series in this category too, in my opinion.

Who would have thought that what is going on with the often unseen and unnoticed ecosystems in our own back gardens could be transformed into enthralling cinematic drama?

The Bruce Forsyth Entertainment Award

The nominees:

• Gladiators
• Michael McIntyre’s Big Show
• The Graham Norton Show
• The Masked Singer
• Would I Lie to You?

Who I think will win: Gladiators.

Gladiators, ready! Ready to win, that is. Me and my 10-year-old inner child honestly couldn't believe it when this show was revived.

I was obsessed with it as a kid, and now my own children are equally obsessed with it. Honestly, my favourite night of the week when this is on is a Saturday night - it's escapist family viewing at its finest.

I haven't given an opinion on the quiz and serial drama categories. I don't watch them and they don't come under my areas of expertise, so I cannot accurately offer an informed argument regarding who could win.

The National Television Awards air on ITV and ITVX at 8pm on September 8.