With every awards season comes the familiar complaint that sections of our creative community are being overlooked. Ever since 2015, when #OscarsSoWhite became an attention-grabbing banner that forced the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to update its selection processes, we’ve seen variations on a theme: Baftas so male, Oliviers so niche, Brit Awards so mainstream etc.
But glory brings its own influence. For others watching on, “If I see it, I can be it.” So it’s no small thing that the shortlist for this year’s National Television Awards (NTAs) celebrates so much female talent – especially when, as the biggest TV awards voted for by viewers rather than industry peers or critics, the NTAs celebrate what is genuinely loved rather than what we’re told we should enjoy.
For starters, of the five nominees for the TV presenter award, the three newest names are Alison Hammond, Claudia Winkleman and Stacey Solomon. Last year, Gary Lineker finally broke Ant and Dec’s 23-year winning streak, and although the Geordie pair are in the running again (as is Sir David Attenborough), this year will surely see this prized gong go to its first ever female winner.
Most telling is the list of names who are competing for best drama performance, an award that has been gender-neutral since 2014, when Matt Smith won for Doctor Who. Since then, male actors have narrowly outgunned their female peers with six winners to five (Cillian Murphy and Sarah Lancashire both bagging two), but the list of nominees has always been a mixed one.
Until this year, that is, when the entire shortlist in the category is made up of female names, from the veteran Judy Parfitt (for Call the Midwife) to breakthrough star Ella Bruccoleri (The Other Bennet Sister). Joining them are familiar faces Ruth Jones (Run Away), Vicky McClure (Trigger Point) and Sheridan Smith (I Fought the Law), who previously won in 2015.
Meanwhile, women working in British TV are quick to correct any suggestion that the problem of equality in the industry has been solved, and attempts to address such imbalances at other awards ceremonies inevitably lead to other groups feeling overlooked.
Vote for your favourites online at nationaltvawards.com.
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