Lewis Capaldi has said the response to his programme where he opened up about his mental health struggles “means the world” to him as he won in the authored documentary category at the UK's National Television Awards.
Earlier this year, the Scottish singer-songwriter shared how the pressures of fame have impacted him mentally and physically in the Netflix documentary, Lewis Capaldi: How I’m Feeling Now.
The 26-year-old was up against Rob Burrow: Living With MND, Matt Willis: Fighting Addiction and the documentary following the late Dame Deborah James, who set up the Bowelbabe cancer research fund, and died last year at the age of 40 after suffering from bowel cancer.
Capaldi was not able to collect the award in person as he is currently in America, but sent a video message where he said: “I have to say thank you so so so much if you voted or even if you just watched the documentary, it genuinely means the world and it never ceases to blow me away how much this documentary has connected with people and struck a chord.
“Thank you to everyone who was involved in making it with me. I’m sorry, I can’t be there tonight. I’m in America at the minute otherwise I would be.”
He also praised his fellow nominees, hailing them as “incredible” for creating their programmes.
The singer said he learnt through making the documentary that it is “not easy” and for them to open up about their stories and struggles.
Comedian Joel Dommett kicked off the show by introducing some of the nominees before he told the audience: “My wife is actually nine months pregnant, she is due basically now.”
He joked that if his partner, Hannah Cooper, goes into labour, Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly are on standby to take her to the hospital.
Reality TV series Gogglebox took home the first award of the night, The Bruce Forsyth Entertainment Award, seeing off tough competition from The Masked Singer and Donnelly and McPartlin who were nominated for two of their shows, I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! and Saturday Night Takeaway.
BBC’s The Traitors also received the award for best reality competition and The Graham Norton Show won in the new TV interviews category, beating Piers Morgan Uncensored on Talk TV, Louis Theroux Interviews… and The Chris & Rosie Ramsey Show to claim the prize.
Norton appeared on a video link to collect the award, saying: “I’m so sorry I can’t be there. Finally, I win a National Television Award and I’m not there.”
He added: “This award, winning it means so much. Mostly it means that Ant and Dec don’t have a talk show… yet. Don’t do it to me, boys.”
