Dermot O'Leary steps down from hosting the NTAs after 10 years
It's the end of an era!
Author: Emma DoddsPublished 13th Feb 2019 Last updated 13th Feb 2019
Dermot O'Leary has announced that he is stepping down as the host of the National Television Awards after 10 years at the helm. The 45-year-old, who took over presenting the show from Trevor McDonald in 2009, announced on Instagram that last month's ceremony was his last.
He wrote, 'After 10 years of proudly hosting the National Television Awards, I have decided it’s time to step down as host. It’s been a tough decision because we have had a ball over the last decade, but 10 years feels about right.
'I would like to thank Indigo and my ITV family for a brilliant ten years and look forward to proudly passing on the baton in 2020...and a holiday in January!'
Fans were devastated over the news, with many sharing their grief in the comments under the photo. One wrote, 'Oh Dermot 😔 a sad day but you’ll go down in television history for your 10 years! A fab host 🙌😃 Good luck with whatever you do next', whilst another added, 'Oh noooooo!!! It just won't be the same 😪 I'm already starting #bringdermottback.' sic
One joked that it was down to Ant and Dec's reign over the Best Presenter award, writing, 'Is it because they won't give you the best presenter award?' as another made the connection to Strictly's Pasha announcing his departure from that show, 'You and Pasha in one day, it’s too much.'
Swipe through to see Ant and Dec's career timeline...
Dermot O'Leary steps down from hosting the NTAs after 10 years
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Ant and Dec's National Television Awards record: 2019
Among their numerous gongs, Ant & Dec have received the National Television Award for Best Presenter for 18 years running. They were also awarded a Guinness World Record for the most wins of the award in January 2019.
Swipe through to see Ant and Dec's career timeline...
Ant & Dec in Byker Grove: 1989
In 1989, Dec landed a part on BBC children's drama Byker Grove, playing Duncan. A year later Ant was cast as PJ – and thus, PJ and Duncan was born.
Ant & Dec's friendship blossomed: 1990
Ant previously revealed his friendship with Dec started in 1990, when he sent him a Christmas card and invited him to a football match.
He said, "And that was that. It just happened immediately. We clicked. We'd spend all day making each other laugh and annoying everyone and quoting Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer lines to each other."
When their parts were written out of Byker Grove, the boys vowed to stick together. Dec told Weekend magazine, "We made a pact. We said to each other, 'Look, whatever happens, I'll always be there for you and you're never in this life on your own or against the world – you've always got a mate looking out for you."
Dec said, "It's our choice to socialise outside work. And we both get to go to work with our best mate every day. And that keeps our feet on the ground" as Ant added, "We love each other, definitely."
Ant and Dec's children's TV shows: 1994
Another career change for the boys came in 1994, when they began as co-presenters of children's show Gimme 5 on CITV. Just a year later they landed their own programme, The Ant & Dec Show, this time on CBBC.
Ant and Dec's pop career: 1994
It wasn't just acting for the boys: PJ & Duncan were pop stars for a while, and became best known for their 1994 UK top 10 'Let's Get Ready to Rhumble'. After the pair performed it on Saturday Night Takeaway, the song went to Number 1 in March 2013.
Their last studio album, The Cult of Ant and Dec, was released in 1997, managing to chart at number 15.
Ant and Dec on SMTV: 1998
This kicked off their kids' TV careers, and landed them their first BAFTA Awards.
After various other presenting gigs, Ant & Dec started hosting ITV's Saturday morning shows SMTV and CD:UK, alongside Cat Deeley, in 1998.
Ant and Dec on Pop Idol: 2001
But, in 2001, they made the move from Saturday morning to prime time – for a little show called Pop Idol... They presented Pop Idol for two years, before it replaced with The X Factor and Kate Thornton took over.
Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway: 2002
This gave them the opportunity to create and present Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway, which is on hiatus until 2020 after Ant McPartlin decided to take a step back from presenting.
Ant and Dec on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!: 2002
In 2002, a year after Saturday Night Takeaway's debut, the boys joined I'm a Celebrity and have become huge parts of the show. In 2018, Ant decided not to host the show, and This Morning's Holly Willoughby stepped in to present with Dec.
Ant and Dec in Love Actually: 2003
Ant and Dec had become such huge names in the UK in 2003, that director Richard Curtis invited them to have cameos in Love Actually, where they cautiously interview Bill Nighy's character, Billy Mack who hilariously calls Dec 'Ant or Dec'.
Ant and Dec on Britain's Got Talent: 2006
Establishing themselves as the busiest presenters in the country, Ant & Dec signed up for Britain's Got Talent in 2006 – and a year later signed a two-year golden handcuffs deal with ITV, which was thought to be worth £40 million and have been hosting the show ever since.
Ant marries Lisa Armstrong: 2006
Ant married his long-term girlfriend Lisa Armstrong in 2006, with Dec acting as best man. Sadly, the marriage ended in 2018 after Ant's addiction struggles.
Dec marries Ali Astall: 2015
In 2015, Dec married his longtime manager Ali Astall with Ant acting as best man - of course. The couple welcomed their first child, a daughter named Isla in September 2018.
Ant and Dec awarded OBEs: 2017
Ant and Dec were awarded OBEs in the 2017 Queen's honours for services to broadcasting and entertainment at Buckingham Palace. They said, "We're humbled and honoured and ecstatic about the whole thing. We hope it can inspire young people from backgrounds like ours that things like this do happen to us sometimes. Put your head down and work hard and you can achieve what you want. You can end up in Buckingham Palace."
Ant's addiction struggles: 2017
In 2015, Ant was prescribed painkillers for botched surgery on his knee. Over the next two years, he became dependent on the drugs and on alcohol. In 2017, he entered rehab to deal with his addictions, and returned to work in the November.
However, in March 2018, he was involved in a three-car road collision which involved a young family. He was arrested on suspicion of drink driving, and pleaded guilty in court in April. He was fined £86,000 and banned from driving for 20 months, and stepped down from his TV duties in August 2018, returning in January 2019.
Ant and Dec's National Television Awards record: 2019
Among their numerous gongs, Ant & Dec have received the National Television Award for Best Presenter for 18 years running. They were also awarded a Guinness World Record for the most wins of the award in January 2019.
Swipe through to see Ant and Dec's career timeline...
Ant & Dec in Byker Grove: 1989
In 1989, Dec landed a part on BBC children's drama Byker Grove, playing Duncan. A year later Ant was cast as PJ – and thus, PJ and Duncan was born.
Ant & Dec's friendship blossomed: 1990
Ant previously revealed his friendship with Dec started in 1990, when he sent him a Christmas card and invited him to a football match.
He said, "And that was that. It just happened immediately. We clicked. We'd spend all day making each other laugh and annoying everyone and quoting Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer lines to each other."
When their parts were written out of Byker Grove, the boys vowed to stick together. Dec told Weekend magazine, "We made a pact. We said to each other, 'Look, whatever happens, I'll always be there for you and you're never in this life on your own or against the world – you've always got a mate looking out for you."
Dec said, "It's our choice to socialise outside work. And we both get to go to work with our best mate every day. And that keeps our feet on the ground" as Ant added, "We love each other, definitely."
Ant and Dec's children's TV shows: 1994
Another career change for the boys came in 1994, when they began as co-presenters of children's show Gimme 5 on CITV. Just a year later they landed their own programme, The Ant & Dec Show, this time on CBBC.
Ant and Dec's pop career: 1994
It wasn't just acting for the boys: PJ & Duncan were pop stars for a while, and became best known for their 1994 UK top 10 'Let's Get Ready to Rhumble'. After the pair performed it on Saturday Night Takeaway, the song went to Number 1 in March 2013.
Their last studio album, The Cult of Ant and Dec, was released in 1997, managing to chart at number 15.
Ant and Dec on SMTV: 1998
This kicked off their kids' TV careers, and landed them their first BAFTA Awards.
After various other presenting gigs, Ant & Dec started hosting ITV's Saturday morning shows SMTV and CD:UK, alongside Cat Deeley, in 1998.
Ant and Dec on Pop Idol: 2001
But, in 2001, they made the move from Saturday morning to prime time – for a little show called Pop Idol... They presented Pop Idol for two years, before it replaced with The X Factor and Kate Thornton took over.
Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway: 2002
This gave them the opportunity to create and present Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway, which is on hiatus until 2020 after Ant McPartlin decided to take a step back from presenting.
Ant and Dec on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!: 2002
In 2002, a year after Saturday Night Takeaway's debut, the boys joined I'm a Celebrity and have become huge parts of the show. In 2018, Ant decided not to host the show, and This Morning's Holly Willoughby stepped in to present with Dec.
Ant and Dec in Love Actually: 2003
Ant and Dec had become such huge names in the UK in 2003, that director Richard Curtis invited them to have cameos in Love Actually, where they cautiously interview Bill Nighy's character, Billy Mack who hilariously calls Dec 'Ant or Dec'.
Ant and Dec on Britain's Got Talent: 2006
Establishing themselves as the busiest presenters in the country, Ant & Dec signed up for Britain's Got Talent in 2006 – and a year later signed a two-year golden handcuffs deal with ITV, which was thought to be worth £40 million and have been hosting the show ever since.
Ant marries Lisa Armstrong: 2006
Ant married his long-term girlfriend Lisa Armstrong in 2006, with Dec acting as best man. Sadly, the marriage ended in 2018 after Ant's addiction struggles.
Dec marries Ali Astall: 2015
In 2015, Dec married his longtime manager Ali Astall with Ant acting as best man - of course. The couple welcomed their first child, a daughter named Isla in September 2018.
Ant and Dec awarded OBEs: 2017
Ant and Dec were awarded OBEs in the 2017 Queen's honours for services to broadcasting and entertainment at Buckingham Palace. They said, "We're humbled and honoured and ecstatic about the whole thing. We hope it can inspire young people from backgrounds like ours that things like this do happen to us sometimes. Put your head down and work hard and you can achieve what you want. You can end up in Buckingham Palace."
Ant's addiction struggles: 2017
In 2015, Ant was prescribed painkillers for botched surgery on his knee. Over the next two years, he became dependent on the drugs and on alcohol. In 2017, he entered rehab to deal with his addictions, and returned to work in the November.
However, in March 2018, he was involved in a three-car road collision which involved a young family. He was arrested on suspicion of drink driving, and pleaded guilty in court in April. He was fined £86,000 and banned from driving for 20 months, and stepped down from his TV duties in August 2018, returning in January 2019.
Ant and Dec's National Television Awards record: 2019
Among their numerous gongs, Ant & Dec have received the National Television Award for Best Presenter for 18 years running. They were also awarded a Guinness World Record for the most wins of the award in January 2019.
The official Twitter account for the National Television Awards tweeted about Dermot's departure, writing, 'Indigo Television and @ITV thank Dermot for a decade at the helm of the National Television Awards, he's a brilliant presenter and one of the best live event hosts in the business! ❤️.' sic
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