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All-female drama shortlist
The National Television Awards (NTAs) 2026 nominations have been unveiled with the drama performance category featuring an all-female shortlist for the first time, including Sheridan Smith for ITV true crime drama I Fought The Law and Gavin & Stacey's Ruth Jones for Netflix thriller Run Away.
“The five nominees include previous winner Sheridan Smith”
The BBC said the five nominees were chosen in a public vote from an initial longlist that also included stars like David Tennant, Gary Oldman, Idris Elba, James Norton and Tom Hiddleston.
Metro said the first-ever all-female line-up includes Sheridan Smith alongside Ella Bruccoleri for The Other Bennet Sister, Judy Parfitt for Call the Midwife, Ruth Jones for Run Away, and Vicky McClure for Trigger Point.
Metro also framed the nominations as a sign that “TV habits are changing,” while Radio Times said the drama performance shortlist includes I Fought The Law star Sheridan Smith going up against Trigger Point’s Vicky McClure.
New categories and voting
Alongside the drama performance milestone, the NTAs introduced an inaugural celebrity-led reality docuseries award, with Stacey Solomon and Joe Swash nominated for Stacey & Joe and Jeremy Clarkson nominated for Clarkson’s Farm.
The BBC said Stacey Solomon has scored a hat-trick of nominations including best TV presenter, where she will go up against the Geordie duo and Sir David Attenborough in his 100th birthday year.
AOL.co.uk said the winners will be announced in a ceremony at The O2 in London on September 8, hosted by Joel Dommett, and it listed the new reality docuseries category as At Home With The Furys, Clarkson’s Farm and Stacey & Joe competing for the inaugural award.
Manchester Evening News added that the public can vote for who they want to win by visiting the National Television Awards website, with votes due by midday on Tuesday, September 8, just hours before the ceremony takes place.
Who’s nominated next
The nominations also place Sir David Attenborough in the TV presenter race for his nature documentary Secret Garden, and Radio Times said he is up against Alison Hammond, Ant & Dec, and Claudia Winkleman.
“the drama performance category features an all-female line-up for the first time”
In the new drama category, Radio Times listed Heated Rivalry, A Woman of Substance, Believe Me, and I Fought The Law, while the BBC said the nominees include Canadian breakout romance Heated Rivalry for best new drama.
For drama performance, the BBC named the five contenders as Sheridan Smith for Ann Ming, Ruth Jones for Elena Ravenscroft, Vicky McClure for Lana Washington, Ella Bruccoleri for The Other Bennet Sister, and Judy Parfitt for Sister Monica Joan in Call The Midwife.
The BBC also said the NTAs recognise the best in British TV over the past twelve months and that the winners will be voted for by the public between now and midday on 8 September, with the event taking place at London's O2 arena and broadcast live on ITV1 and ITVX from 20:00 BST.