BBC veteran David Dimbleby to receive top gong at National Television Awards
HE has spent the past 40 years as the face of the BBC’s political broadcasting – fronting Question Time and every General Election night since 1979.
But David Dimbleby will be swapping fibbing MPs for showbiz luvvies at Tuesday night's National Television Awards.
I can reveal the stalwart, who recently stood down from BBC1’s Question Time after 25 years in the hot seat, will be given the NTA’s 2019 Special Recognition honour.
An awards source said: “David is a giant of British broadcasting.
“He has been the people’s champion, putting questions from viewers to politicians and using remarkable skill and often forceful encouragement to get proper answers back.
“He has been, and still is, a key part of Britain’s cultural landscape. He has been chief commentator for countless state occasions, including royal weddings and the 1997 funeral of Princess Diana.
“He not only anchored TV coverage of the first referendum on Europe in 1975, but repeated the role for the EU referendum announcing Leave had won.”
This year’s NTA bash is very much a family affair.
Nominee Danny Dyer, up for Best Serial Drama Performance for EastEnders, will be there alongside Love Island star daughter Dani, who is hosting stage side.
King of the Jungle Harry Redknapp and wife Sandra will be joined in the audience by their ex-footballer son Jamie, who is nominated for A League Of Their Own.
Meanwhile, comic Jack Whitehall will be with dad Michael, who are both up for the hilarious Travels With My Father.
Previous winners of the Special Recognition gong include Billy Connolly, Sir Bruce Forsyth and Joanna Lumley.
And, somewhat bafflingly, Robson Green.
Bosses have pulled out all the stops for the glittering ceremony, screened live on ITV, which will see movie star Danny DeVito jet over from across the Pond to hand out a drama gong.
Meanwhile, Westlife will be doing their first live TV performance in eight years as they take to the stage to perform their new single Hello My Love penned by Ed Sheeran.
I hope Dimbers has brushed up on his harmonies . . .
READ ON FOR MORE OF ANDY HALLS' BIZARRE TV COLUMN
Cold turkey, David?
YOUR eyes don’t deceive you – that really is two Cold Feet favourites on drugs at a music festival. But David and Pete, played by Robert Bathurst and John Thomson, have no idea how trippy things are going to get.
Next Monday’s episode of the ITV drama sees the whole gang take a trip to support Pete’s son, young Adam, whose band is performing at the event. After innocently eating some “special” cookies, the boys start hallucinating.
Meanwhile Adam, played by James Nesbitt, can only watch as son Matthew takes over his old man’s role as Lothario-in-chief, while Karen and Jenny – Hermione Norris and Fay Ripley – have a major heart-to heart.
It’s more dramatic than Glastonbury.
bizbit
I’M A Celeb star John Barrowman has told This Morning he would consider having another stab at Dancing On Ice after appearing in 2006. He joked: “I’ve still got the skates – they’re in my closet. I’m not in it any more but the skates are.”
Les of the sex scenes
THE BBC’s decidedly steamy version of Les Miserables has left fans of Victor Hugo’s classic novel hot under the collar – in all the wrong ways.
After Sunday’s episode – the raciest one yet – devotees took to social media to complain about saucy scenes which were not in the novel, musical or films.
Scenes saw Marius at a peephole watching his neighbour strip, then he had a dirty dream featuring two of the leading ladies.
He also went to what looked like a brothel, where a topless woman was having sex.
Most Les Mis fans blamed TV series writer Andrew Davies. One tweeted: “I am disturbed by the way Davies puts sex into nearly everything he writes.”
Others said they were “disgusted”, while one fumed: “I fear Davies is injecting sexuality into a story where it doesn’t belong.”
Sounds like sexing things up has been a bit of a flop.
Daniel's Porter on call
WE’RE used to seeing him on TV playing coppers – but here’s an exclusive image of Daniel Mays in a very different uniform.
He’ll join the cast of Dave’s hospital sitcom, Porters, when the second series returns later this year.
Daniel, best known for playing Sgt Danny Waldron in Line Of Duty, candidly describes his new character, Anthony, as a “complete and utter bulls***ter”.
His AC-12 colleagues would be appalled.
bizbit
JACK P Shepherd has moved in with girlfriend Hanni Treweek. The Corrie star, who plays David Platt, took the step after dating Hanni for 14 months. She works in the publicity team and once had a cameo in the ITV soap.
Pack-ing punch at Palace
CHRIS Packham might find himself in the Tower of London if he’s not careful.
The presenter and naturalist plans to use the day he receives his CBE to confront the Royal Family over their views on hunting.
He said: “There will be lots of cheeky little words, I assure you. Nobody ever gets off the hook around me.
“You don’t get many opportunities in life but if I meet someone of influence I will use it. I don’t care if it can be deemed inappropriate, it’s important to say something.”
Chris added he “took some advice” before accepting the honour.
He told the Radio Times: “If it had been for broadcasting, I don’t know what I would have done. But it’s for services to nature conservation, and that’s what I’m all about.”
Surely turning down a CBE instead of accepting a free day out at Buckingham Palace sends a bigger message.
must watch
WHAT? Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened, Netflix.
WHY? A stunning insight into how a cocky entrepreneur promised to deliver a luxury music festival on an island in the Bahamas, but presided over a disaster.
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