Dermot O'Leary was forced to deal with a stage invader who managed to disrupt the 2018 National Television Awards on Tuesday night. Photographs from the ceremony show host Dermot appearing to calm the man down, before security arrived to remove him from the O2 Arena. At the time, Dermot was on stage with Bruce Forsyth's widow Wilnelia to present an award. The man appeared to be a protestor; his T-shirt had 'activism' printed on the front, and he carried a piece of paper which read: "Oppression of ideas is not freedom like UK media thinks." Since the incident took place during a VT, it was not broadcast on TV.
© Photo: RexDermot O'Leary was forced to deal with a stage invader at the 2018 National Television Awards
Wilnelia attended the NTAs to present the Bruce Forsyth Entertainment Award, which was given to TV duo Ant and Dec. Before handing over the trophy, Wilnelia spoke poignantly to the crowd. "I'm so proud and honoured that this special award is named after my darling Bruce," she said. "I know he'd love it because show business was his life. I also know if he was here tonight, he'd be saying. 'It was nice to see you. To see you, nice.'"
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Ant and Dec were clearly humbled to receive the award, with Ant telling the star-studded audience: "Thank you very much, it's an honour to pick this award up. We started filming Saturday Night Takeaway today and we filmed a tribute to Bruce, so this is very apt." Speaking to reporters backstage, he added: "It was really quite emotional I have to say, to get this and see his name on there, and to get it off Wilnelia as well. It was such an honour."
