Bodyguard was the big winner at last night’s National Television Awards, as the BBC One thriller took home two of the top prizes.

The series, created by Jed Mercurio, wound a tight path between the ridiculous and the ridiculously tense, as it saw Richard Madden’s bodyguard, David Budd, work to uncover a conspiracy that threatens national security, and the safety of Keeley Hawes’ Home Secretary.

“Relentlessly pulse-pounding television” is our we described it in our review, and audiences clearly agreed: the first episode reached 10.5 million requests on BBC iPlayer, making it the most popular episode ever on the Beeb’s catch-up service, with every subsequent chapter making it into BBC iPlayer’s top 10 most-watched episodes of 2018, generating 41.3 million requests overall – BBC iPlayer’s biggest box set ever.

Now, hot on the heels of its Golden Globe win for Best Performance by an Actor in a Drama, Bodyguard has once again seen Richard Madden win the Best Drama Performance gong at the NTAs. It was followed by the prize for New Drama too, leading the night’s winners and tying with Emmerdale, which also won two awards, including Serial Drama.

I’m A Celebrity… also beat Love Island and Graham Norton to the Entertainment Award, while Ant and Dec stole the show by winning the TV Presenter gong for the 18th time in a row. Following a year when Ant was off screen for most of it due to a drink-drive conviction, the pair accepted the prize via live feed from Britain’s Got Talent’s auditions, saying that the win was a “genuine shock”.

“I really don’t feel like I can accept this award this year,” said Ant. “It has to go to this guy for his hard work, dedication, wit and funniness and for being the best mate out there,” he added, of his presenting partner, Dec.

Danny Dyer, meanwhile, capped off a strong evening for the BBC by accepting the prize for Serial Drama Performance for his role in EastEnders, who thanks Harold Pinter for believing in him.

“I just want to say to all you young kids living out there in poverty,” he said. “Who says they don’t have the right to dream? Do not let where you come from dictate, define, what you can do in life.”

Here’s the full list of nominees:

SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARD

David Dimbleby

QUIZ SHOW

The Chase

NEW DRAMA

Bodyguard

TALENT SHOW

Strictly Come Dancing

DRAMA

Peaky Blinders

TV PRESENTER

Ant & Dec

FACTUAL ENTERTAINMENT

Paul O’Grady: For the Love of Dogs

DRAMA PERFORMANCE

Richard Madden

THE BRUCE FORSYTH ENTERTAINMENT AWARD

I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!

SERIAL DRAMA

Emmerdale

SERIAL DRAMA PERFORMANCE

Danny Dyer

COMEDY

Car Share

NEWCOMER

James Moore

DAYTIME

This Morning

TV JUDGE

David Walliams

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