We headed behind the scenes at the National Television Awards afterparty where celebs from across the small screen let their hair down, but there was one difference about this year’s bash
A-list award show afterparties have a reputation for being rowdy, but this year’s National Television Awards had celebrities on their best behaviour. As the show – which saw surprising winners such as Gary Lineker and Molly-Mae Hague – wrapped up, I joined the flurry of stars making their way to the exclusive after party.
However, many chose to skip out on the celebrations, including Maura Higgins and Danny Jones, who appear to have sworn off afterparties following their BRIT Awards scandal earlier this year. The awkward pair weren’t the only ones who didn’t turn up, with Molly-Mae, Olivia Attwood, Ben Shepherd, Helen Flanagan, Maya Jama and many others heading home after the show.
For those that did go along, there was a set of strict rules for entry to the notriously private event, with a ticket to the main show not quite cutting it.
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Guests queued up before arriving to the heavily-manned doors, where they traded afterparty tickets for satin wristbands before being allowed entry.
Inside, rows of prosecco, wine and beer were lined up across the several bars, complimentary for the guests to take. No one in the room went hungry either, with waiters first circling the room with canape trays before coming out with fish and chips, chicken burgers, and plenty of boxed food for guests.
The party had a surprisingly tame atmosphere, a contrast to what I’ve seen at previous NTA afterparties – which weren’t short of arguing, drama, and secret rendez vous. Showbiz veterans looked at home at the bash, with soap stars such as Bobby Brazier chatting to guests and mingling.
Sam Thompson and Pete Wicks stuck together near the bar as they politely mingled with fellow guests, but kept it far from rowdy as they lay low on the drinks.
While he stuck by best pal Pete’s side inside the bash, Sam was shooting looks over to his former flame Samie Elishi throughout the night. Soap stars and Sam and Pete stood in the exact same area as they did at last year’s party, and remained there all night, as if the room has an unspoken seating plan. The newest bout of Love Island stars such as Megan Forte Clark, Connor Phillips, Yasmin Pettet and Harry Cooksey stuck together as they took in the overwhelming atmosphere of their first ever afterparty – with some looking like a deer in headlights as they wandered through the busy room. Their co-star Shakira Khan made sure to get the autographs in as she chatted away to the cast of EastEnders at the bar. While the party closed off around 2am, the room was noticeably emptying an hour before that, with many getting an earlier night. Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.
