National Television Award viewers were left in tears after the show paid an emotional tribute to the late Paul O’Grady on Tuesday evening – ahead of his show For The Love of Dogs scooping the Factual Entertainment Award. 

During the ceremony host, Joel Dommett gave a heartfelt speech before a montage from the beloved comedian’s life was played.

His show For The Love of Dogs also won a gong, and viewers were left smiling when a sweet dog barked through Battersea Dogs and Cats Home accepting the award, with viewers saying Paul would have been ‘proud’ of the pooch.

Scouse Comedian Paul, who shot to fame as trailblazing drag act Lily Savage, died ‘unexpectedly but peacefully’ in March, aged 67. 

Joel began: ‘Now, before we go on, here at the National Television Awards we wanted to remember someone very special. The one and only, Paul O’Grady.’

Tribute: National Television Award viewers were left in tears after the show paid an emotional tribute to the late Paul O’Grady on Tuesday evening

Honour:Scouse Comedian Paul, who shot to fame as trailblazing drag act Lily Savage, died ‘unexpectedly but peacefully’ in March, aged 67  (Paul pictured at the ceremony in 2019) 

As the audience erupted into applause Joel continued: ‘Nominated an astonishing 28 times for an NTA, his first nearly 30 years ago’.

‘His career came in many guises, but no matter what he did there was always kindness, coupled with a unique sense of fun that won over audiences in an instant.

Before adding: ‘Here’s a reminder of why we all love him so, so much.’

Taking to Twitter one viewer wrote:  ‘Thanks @OfficialNTAs for the beautiful video to honour the wonderful, much loved and sorely missed Paul O’Grady. I’m a blubbering wreck after that’.

While another said: ‘Tears in my eyes at Paul O’Grady. Such a good man taken far too soon’.

A third commented: ‘Paul O’Grady was the best of us, we didn’t deserve him’.

While a fourth wrote: ‘Paul O’Grady’s tribute had me in tears!’.

With a fifth adding: ‘In tears watching the lovely Paul O’Grady tribute’.

With someone else saying: ‘Such a lovely and wonderful tribute to the late Paul O’Grady I bet he will be watching and looking down from heaven proudly’.

And: ‘I only saw bits of the NTAwards, but one part I did see was that Paul O’Grady: For the Love of Dogs won an award + that makes me happy, I actually couldn’t watch the award being given, as I left the room because I was already emotional’. 

Elsewhere in the ceremony, Paul’s show For The Love Of Dogs scooped up the Factual Entertainment Award, with representatives from Battersea Cats and Dogs home taking to the stage to accept the award.

Congrats: Later in the evening Paul’s show For The Love of Dogs scooping the Factual Entertainment Award

RIP: During the ceremony host Joel Dommett gave a heartfelt speech before a montage from the beloved comedian’s life was played (pictured at the ceremony in 1997 as his alter ego Lily Savage) 

In tears: Fans took to social media following the emotional tribute 

And viewers were left smiling when the group took a sweet dog on stage with them, and the pooch appeared to be loving being on stage as he barked through the speech.

As a representative of the charity gave a heartfelt acceptance speech, the adorable pooch started barking on stage, and continued to do so as it prompted laughs from the audience.

Fans took to Twitter to share their delight over the amusing moment, with many suggesting that the late Paul O’Grady would have approved of dog’s energetic actions.

One wrote: ‘Loved the way the dog was barking and giving his speech … I’m sure that was Paul shining through.’

Another said: ‘The Dog causing chaos during the speech is what Paul O’Grady would’ve wanted.’

And a third added: ‘That Dog making just as much noise as Paul would. He would be proud.’

It was a night of what ifs for Alison Hammond and flagship show This Morning, but it was business as usual for Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly at the National Television Awards. 

Beneath the lights of London’s O2 Arena, it was Ant and Dec who claimed their 22nd NTA at the annual ceremony following a successful return to the Australian jungle with ITV1 juggernaut I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!.

The pair claimed the award ahead of the much fancied Alison, notably selected ahead of her This Morning co-host Holly Willoughby in the category for Best Presenter.

Meanwhile, This Morning lost its best daytime show title at the as The Repair Shop claimed the prize.

It comes as the ITV morning programme, which has been on a winning streak in the daytime category for the last number of years, continues to face backlash amid the furore of the Phillip Schofield affair.

Unexpected: The Repair Shop beat This Morning to Best Daytime at the National Television Awards on Tuesday evening 

Mixed emotions: It was a night of what ifs for Alison Hammond , but it was business as usual for Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly as the event got underway 

Well done: Beneath the lights of London’s O2 Arena, it was Ant and Dec who claimed their 22nd NTA at the annual ceremony 

Success: The pair claimed the award ahead of the much fancied Hammond, notably selected ahead of her This Morning co-host Holly Willoughby in the category for Best Presenter

The Repair Shop host Jay Blades encouraged the crowd to cheer as the show’s team took to the stage at The O2 and took a picture of the moment as he noted it was a “rarity” for them to be winning the prize.

Blades thanked those who voted and the team behind the show, adding: ‘I would like to salute my experts, they are my family.’

He also praised his fellow nominees at This Morning, The Chase and Loose Women, saying: “We’re the new kids on the block ad I’m glad we’ve won this time.

‘I know it won’t be a regular thing so thank you.’ 

Ant and Dec – who were also competing with Martin Lewis, Claudia Winkleman and Bradley Walsh for Best Presenter – admitted they were “more nervous than ever” before going into the event on Tuesday evening, but were just as “humbled and grateful” to receive the honour as they had ever been.

Ant said: ‘Thank you so much to the NTAs we’ve got quite a long list of thank yous, all of the shows and the people we work with, we are the luckiest two men on telly because we’ve got the best production teams and the best people to work with, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.’ 

His presenting partner Declan Donnelly added: ‘Thank you to ITV, to Kevin and Katie and all the team at ITV for your continued support. Thank you to our fantastic management team for your support, thank you gang, you’re up in the box somewhere.

‘Thank you to our lovely wives, our beautiful children. I can’t believe that we are still getting away with this…’

Taking To Twitter one viewer said: