National Television Awards returns with a huge change as official longlist is revealed in full

IN this modern world of conspiracy theories, misinformation and a next door neighbour’s Facebook statuses, we need telly experts more than ever – and the National Television Awards clearly agrees.

Bosses have announced a brand new category for the specialists who inform and inspire on primetime.

4

4

Sir David Attenborough leads the field for his nature documentaries, whilst Prue Leith is noted for her work in the kitchen.

The rest are upstarts who are fairly new to TV – Dragon Dens’ Steven Bartlett, Clarksons’ Farm grafter Kaleb Cooper, new chief of SAS: Who Dares Wins Rudy Reyes, iceman Wim Hof and Jay Blades.

Elsewhere on the NTAs honours’ longlist, Oti Mabuse will take on sister Motsi in the TV judge category after the Strictly pro jumped to ITV’s Dancing on Ice.

And more streaming shows feature than ever before – with a collection that neatly demonstrates the huge breadth viewers can find across Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+ and Apple TV with shows like Slow Horses and Bridgerton up for gongs.

There won’t be a dry eye in London’s OVO Arena when the late Tom Parker’s Inside My Head goes against Kate Garraway’s Caring For Derek in Authored Documentary at the bash on September 15.

Serial winners Ant & Dec are, of course, nominated for Best TV presenter, alongside Bradley Walsh and the evening’s host, Joel Dommett.

And will viewers’ press their buzzers for Lee Mack’s The 1% Club, which has nabbed a nomination in Quiz Game Show, after a storming start on ITV?

One thing I do know is voters will have a tough time whittling this lot down to a shortlist. Good luck, everyone.

4

4

View the longlist and vote for free online at nationaltvawards.com.

All votes must be in by 11pm on June 6 2022.