Post by Madhatter on Nov 1, 2006 2:21:56 GMT
Doctor Who has scooped three prizes at the National Television Awards in a repeat of its success last year.
The BBC sci-fi drama won most popular drama, most popular actress for Billie Piper and most popular actor for David Tennant, who plays the Time Lord.
Top Gear, whose presenter Richard Hammond is recovering from an accident while filming, won the factual award.
Noel Edmonds' comeback Channel 4 show Deal Or No Deal was best daytime show, although the star could not attend.
The awards, voted for by the public, were presented at a ceremony at the Royal Albert Hall in London, hosted by Sir Trevor McDonald.
Veteran broadcaster David Attenborough was given a lifetime achievement award, presented by the Duke of Edinburgh.
Channel 4's Big Brother won the reality title for the third year running, beating Celebrity Big Brother, The Apprentice and I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!
Big Brother housemate Nikki Grahame won the new category of TV contender, beating the show's winner Pete Bennett.
'Huge success'
The hat-trick of awards for Doctor Who was a sign the show has lost none of its popularity with David Tennant taking over the lead role.
Tennant's predecessor, Christopher Eccleston, took the best actor award in 2005.
"I think if my eight-year-old self could see me at the Royal Albert Hall winning a prize for playing the doctor on telly, he would need a stiff shot of Irn-Bru," said Tennant after collecting his award from Dame Julie Andrews.
"I'm really chuffed," he added. "It's been really daunting to come into something that was such a huge success."
Jeremy Clarkson. who collected Top Gear's award, said it would cheer up his co-presenter Richard Hammond, who is recuperating after a high-speed crash in September.
"It will also cheer up the Top Gear team, who've had a pretty torrid time of it," he added.
Soap battle
EastEnders beat Coronation Street for the second year running for most popular serial drama.
Little Britain won the comedy category for the third year, beating the Catherine Tate Show, Will and Grace and My Family. The show's star, David Walliams, took a special recognition award for his charity swim across the Channel.
For the fifth year running, Ant and Dec were voted the most popular entertainment presenters.
The pair could not be at the awards because they were filming the next series of I'm A Celebrity.
They also won the quiz award for Ant and Dec's Game Show Marathon, beating Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? which has won for the past seven years.
The NTAs will be screened on ITV1 on 1 November.
The BBC sci-fi drama won most popular drama, most popular actress for Billie Piper and most popular actor for David Tennant, who plays the Time Lord.
Top Gear, whose presenter Richard Hammond is recovering from an accident while filming, won the factual award.
Noel Edmonds' comeback Channel 4 show Deal Or No Deal was best daytime show, although the star could not attend.
The awards, voted for by the public, were presented at a ceremony at the Royal Albert Hall in London, hosted by Sir Trevor McDonald.
Veteran broadcaster David Attenborough was given a lifetime achievement award, presented by the Duke of Edinburgh.
Channel 4's Big Brother won the reality title for the third year running, beating Celebrity Big Brother, The Apprentice and I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!
Big Brother housemate Nikki Grahame won the new category of TV contender, beating the show's winner Pete Bennett.
'Huge success'
The hat-trick of awards for Doctor Who was a sign the show has lost none of its popularity with David Tennant taking over the lead role.
Tennant's predecessor, Christopher Eccleston, took the best actor award in 2005.
"I think if my eight-year-old self could see me at the Royal Albert Hall winning a prize for playing the doctor on telly, he would need a stiff shot of Irn-Bru," said Tennant after collecting his award from Dame Julie Andrews.
"I'm really chuffed," he added. "It's been really daunting to come into something that was such a huge success."
Jeremy Clarkson. who collected Top Gear's award, said it would cheer up his co-presenter Richard Hammond, who is recuperating after a high-speed crash in September.
"It will also cheer up the Top Gear team, who've had a pretty torrid time of it," he added.
Soap battle
EastEnders beat Coronation Street for the second year running for most popular serial drama.
Little Britain won the comedy category for the third year, beating the Catherine Tate Show, Will and Grace and My Family. The show's star, David Walliams, took a special recognition award for his charity swim across the Channel.
For the fifth year running, Ant and Dec were voted the most popular entertainment presenters.
The pair could not be at the awards because they were filming the next series of I'm A Celebrity.
They also won the quiz award for Ant and Dec's Game Show Marathon, beating Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? which has won for the past seven years.
The NTAs will be screened on ITV1 on 1 November.
