UK

Line of Duty among the winners at the National Television Awards

Adrian Dunbar as Superintendent Ted Hastings and Martin Compston as DS Steve Arnott in Line of Duty. Picture by PA Photo/BBC/World Productions/Steffan Hill
Adrian Dunbar as Superintendent Ted Hastings and Martin Compston as DS Steve Arnott in Line of Duty. Picture by PA Photo/BBC/World Productions/Steffan Hill Adrian Dunbar as Superintendent Ted Hastings and Martin Compston as DS Steve Arnott in Line of Duty. Picture by PA Photo/BBC/World Productions/Steffan Hill

Line Of Duty was one of the winners at the National Television Awards last night.

The series, which is filmed in Belfast, won the award for returning drama, beating programmes including The Crown and Call The Midwife.

Kate Garraway won the award for authored documentary for Finding Derek, which offered candid insight into her family life while her husband, former political adviser Derek Draper, spent a year in hospital being treated for coronavirus.

Garraway was greeted with a standing ovation as she took to the stage at the O2 Arena in London.

Other big winners included It's A Sin, which won the new drama prize.

Creator Russell T Davies dedicated the win to "those we lost, those who lived, those who learned and those we loved" during the Aids crisis.

After Life won the comedy award, beating shows including Sex Education and Friday Night Dinner.

Creator Ricky Gervais jokingly said on stage: "I will keep it short. It's already interminable. Thank you for Netflix for all their support and their total lack of interference. They are just the best broadcaster."

Host Joel Dommett started the show with a pre-recorded skit in which he searched at short notice for a nominee to open the event with a "big musical number", eventually settling on Hrvy, who performed Runaway With It with his former partner on Strictly Come Dancing Janette Manrara.

"We are live here in a real room with real people," Dommett told the cheering audience.

Newsreader Sir Trevor McDonald also took to the stage to introduce a film showing how TV helped the public during the pandemic.