THE shortlist for the National Television Awards has been announced, and a number of programmes with strong ties to Wales have made the cut.

In September, the 26th instalment of the awards will be held in London’s O2 Arena, after the pandemic prevented the 2020 ceremony from taking place.

With the best of the best from the small screen being celebrated, there is little surprise that Gwent, and Wales as a whole, will be represented on the night.

A number of programmes which have made the shortlist have some form of connection to Wales, and with any luck, they will emerge victorious on the night, too.

Perhaps the programme with the strongest local connection is Sex Education, which has been filmed in Caerleon, Monmouthshire, and Penarth over the years.

Season three may not air until next month, but the show has been nominated for best Comedy, and will certainly be one to watch.

In the Bruce Forsyth Entertainment Award category, I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here is in the running.

Most recently, the pandemic scuppered plans to film in Australia, and Wales’s Gwrych Castle in Abergele stepped in to the rescue.

The programme is set to return to Wales again later this year, too.

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But, that is not the only programme in this category with connections this side of the border.

Having recently seen a surge in popularity, Taskmaster is in the running too – famously hosted by Flintshire-born Greg Davies.

Welsh entertainers Rhod Gilbert and Sian Gibson have also appeared as contestants on the show.

In the best Factual programme category, Gogglebox has made the shortlist.

Of course, the show wouldn’t be so popular without the entertaining families on their very own sofas, including Dave and Shirley from Caerphilly.

And finally, in the best New Drama category, It’s a Sin has been nominated.

The Channel 4 miniseries was created by Swansea born screenwriter and producer Russell T Davies.

As a bonus, In For a Penny has been shortlisted for best Quiz Game Show.

The programme, hosted by Stephen Mulhern, recently spent several days filming a new episode in Newport.

Who else is nominated for the National Television Awards 2021?

Here are the nominations in full:

Drama performance

  • Olly Alexander - Ritchie Tozer, It’s A Sin
  • Martin Compston - Steve Arnott, Line of Duty
  • Adrian Dunbar - Ted Hastings, Line of Duty
  • Vicky McClure - Kate Fleming, Line of Duty
  • David Tennant - Dennis Nilsen, Des

New drama

  • Bridgerton
  • Des
  • It’s A Sin
  • Normal People
  • Returning drama
  • Call the Midwife
  • Line of Duty
  • The Crown
  • Unforgotten

Serial drama

  • Coronation Street
  • EastEnders
  • Emmerdale
  • Hollyoaks

Serial drama performance

  • Sally Carman - Abi Franklin, Coronation Street
  • Danny Dyer - Mick Carter, EastEnders
  • Mollie Gallagher - Nina Lucas, Coronation Street
  • Billy Price - Sid Sumner, Hollyoaks

Newcomer

  • Rose Ayling-Ellis - Frankie Lewis, EastEnders
  • Rhiannon Clements - Summer Ranger, Hollyoaks
  • Olivia D’Lima - Paramedic Fenisha Khatri, Casualty
  • Emile John - Ethan Anderson, Emmerdale
  • Jude Riordan - Sam Blakeman, Coronation Street

TV presenter

  • Ant and Dec
  • Alison Hammond
  • Piers Morgan
  • Bradley Walsh
  • Holly Willoughby

Bruce Forsyth entertainment award

  • Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway
  • I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!
  • Taskmaster
  • The Graham Norton Show

Talent show

  • Britain’s Got Talent
  • RuPaul’s Drag Race UK
  • Strictly Come Dancing
  • The Masked Singer

Challenge show

  • Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins
  • Love Island
  • The Great British Bake Off
  • The Great British Sewing Bee

Quiz game show

  • Beat the Chasers
  • Celebrity Catchphrase
  • In For A Penny
  • Michael McIntyre’s The Wheel

Authored documentary

  • Kate Garraway: Finding Derek
  • Katie Price: Harvey and Me
  • Marcus Rashford: Feeding Britain’s Children
  • Rob Burrow: My Year With MND
  • Roman Kemp: Our Silent Emergency

Factual

  • Caroline Flack: Her Life and Death
  • Gogglebox
  • Gordon, Gino and Fred: American Road Trip
  • Paul O’Grady: For the Love of Dogs

Daytime

  • Loose Women
  • The Chase
  • The Repair Shop
  • This Morning

Comedy

  • After Life
  • Friday Night Dinner
  • Sex Education
  • The Vicar of Dibley

The National Television Awards will take place in London on September 9.