Doctor Who scores double as stars take top drama awards

There was a Doctor Who double at this year’s National Television Awards with its stars Matt Smith and Karen Gillan both picking up prizes.

Smith won the gong for best male drama performance, while his sidekick Gillan, who plays Amy Pond, picked up female equivalent.

Speaking backstage, Gillan said she had loved her time on the show. “I’ve had the best years of my life on this show and I don’t know if I’ll ever have as much fun again.”

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There was also a victory for ITV1’s hit Downton Abbey with the country house show picking up the best drama award, while a grinning Michael McIntyre picked up the award for Best Entertainment Programme, having seen off competition from Harry Hill’s TV Burp, dating show Take Me Out and magic show Dynamo: Magician Impossible.

EastEnders actress Jacqueline Jossa picked up the newcomer award for her performance as Walford’s troubled teen Lauren Branning, and there was also a win for its ITV rival Coronation Street with Katherine Kelly, who recently left the show, picking up the award for serial drama performance.

There were awards for Celebrity Juice, given the Comedy Panel Show prize, and Ant and Dec who have won the Entertainment Presenter award every year since 2002.

The award for the best talent show went to The X Factor, while ITV stablemate This Morning clinched the factual programme award.

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Alan Carr, who triumphed in the talk show category for his show Alan Carr Chatty Man, beating Graham Norton, Jonathan Ross and the ladies from Loose Women, said: “I never win anything. I was ready to do my bitter clap.”

Speaking to reporters, Jossa said she could not believe it when she won.

She added: “All I was thinking was ‘Don’t fall up the stairs”’