Piers Morgan mocks own nomination for Best TV Presenter at National Television Awards 2021

Piers Morgan has said he is "amused" to have been shortlisted for a National Television Award five months after he left Good Morning Britain.

The 56-year-old presenter quit the ITV breakfast show GMB in March after comments he made about Meghan Markle caused a fallout with the show's bosses but continues to present Piers Morgan’s Life Stories for the channel.

The former tabloid editor - who has previously complained about being snubbed for the award - tweeted: "Most amused to finally be nominated for TV Presenter of the Year at the ⁦@OfficialNTAs - though could be a tad #awks for ITV if I win for my work on ⁦@GMB. Might have to pull a Brando and send Princess Pinocchio along to receive it on my behalf…."

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Morgan, who is currently on holiday in Antigua, is referring to the 1973 Oscars ceremony when Marlon Brando won Best Actor for The Godfather. Brando boycotted the ceremony in protest against Hollywood's treatment of Native Americans - sending young Apache actress Sacheen Littelfeather on stage to make the snub for him.

Princess Pinocchio is Morgan's nickname for the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle.

Morgan has been nominated for Best Presenter at the NTAs, competing against Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly, Bradley Walsh and This Morning stars Holly Willoughby and Alison Hammond.

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Ant and Dec have won the award 19 times - having taken home the prize at every NTA ceremony since 2001.

The National Television Awards - which are voted for by the general public - usually take place in January but were delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic, and will now take place on 9 September, hosted by Joel Dommett.

Line Of Duty stars Adrian Dunbar (Ted Hastings), Martin Compston (Steve Arnott) and Vicky McClure (Kate Fleming) are all in the running for the Drama Performance award, alongside Olly Alexander for Aids series It’s A Sin and David Tennant for Des, a drama about serial killer Dennis Nilsen.

Des and It’s A Sin are also nominated for the Best New Drama prize, alongside period romp Bridgerton and the hit adaptation of the book Normal People.

Michaela Coel’s powerful series I May Destroy You which recently won two Baftas was not shortlisted. Line Of Duty, Call The Midwife, Unforgotten and lavish royal series The Crown have been nominated for the Returning Drama gong.

The documentary about late Love Island presenter Caroline Flack has been shortlisted for the Factual prize.

Caroline Flack: Her Life And Death featured family and friends, including Olly Murs and Dermot O’Leary, speaking about how the presenter was affected by her life in the spotlight.

Flack took her own life at the age of 40, on February 15, 2020, while awaiting trial on an assault charge for an alleged attack on her boyfriend, Lewis Burton.

Also nominated in the category are Gogglebox; Gordon, Gino And Fred: American Road Trip; and Paul O’Grady: For The Love Of Dogs.

Kate Garraway is shortlisted in the new category of Authored Documentary for her poignant look at how the pandemic ravaged her family in Finding Derek.

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The category was introduced following a wave of celebrity-led factual programmes.

Manchester United and England footballer Marcus Rashford is also in the running for BBC show Feeding Britain’s Children, about the star’s campaign for free school meals; while Katie Price: Harvey and Me; Rob Burrow: My Year With MND; and Roman Kemp: Our Silent Emergency are also in the running.

Emmerdale, Coronation Street, EastEnders and Hollyoaks are all up for best serial drama, while in the Talent Show category, first-time nominee The Masked Singer is listed alongside RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, Britain’s Got Talent and Strictly Come Dancing.

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