Amanda Holden has revealed the truth behind how she helped bring Alan Carr's emotionally bonkers National Television Awards (NTAs) surprise to life. The Britain's Got Talent judge was among the stars in attendance for the 31st NTAs on Tuesday night (September 8).
Held in London's O2, the annual ceremony honours the biggest stars and programmes from the past 12 months. During the ceremony, the comedian and TV presenter Alan was surprised with the special recognition award following a turbulent year.
Star-studded tribute performance
The Celebrity Traitors winner was serenaded by Amanda, Paloma Faith, Kate Garraway, Charlotte Church and David Olusoga. The performance of I Know Him So Well, the 1984 song by Barbara Dickson and Elaine Paige, began with Paloma being carried onto the stage in a black coffin, in a reference to her dramatic murder by Alan on Celebrity Traitors.
In a video tribute, his Traitors co-star, Sir Stephen Fry, said: “Despite the wickedness, despite the cruelty of the man, it’s very hard not to love him.” Host Claudia Winkleman added: “He’s delicious, isn’t he? I’d like him on a cracker.”
Alan's emotional reaction
Realising that he won the award, Alan struggled to hold back his tears as he was shown highlights from his career, including from his time working on his Channel 4 talk show Chatty Man amid calls from fans to bring it back. Collecting the award, Alan said: “This is how thick I am, it was only when Paloma came out that I realised it’s me. I should have realised when they put me in the front row, I’m usually in the back with the people from Naked Attraction.”
On Wednesday morning (September 9), Amanda returned to Heart Breakfast with Jamie Theakston and Amanda Holden. Speaking to her co-host Jamie, Amanda provided all the gossip from the NTAs.
How the secret was kept
Jamie said: “It was the National Television Awards last night at London's O2 Arena, tears all round. One of the standout moments was Alan Carr, who won the Special Recognition Award, and he was surprised by our very own Amanda Holden performing a version of ‘I Know Him So Well’ with Paloma Faith. Can I say, before we say anything else, first of all, how fantastic was that?”
To which Amanda replied: “Oh, Jamie, you're very nice to say that… I think I did surprise a lot of people. It's really weird, isn't it? When you've done musicals, but they sort of, everything gets forgotten, doesn't it? It’s fine though, I don’t mind.”
She added: “I don't know, because I didn't tell any of you. I didn't even tell my mum. I just told my mum when to put the telly on. She thought I was getting an award. I was like, no. And I just said, 'just watch it'. And I didn't tell Alan. I've deliberately not spoken to Alan for a week, right? And I was working yesterday after, so before I went to the NTAs and I did the red carpet at like six, which I would never normally do. So, I just sat in my dressing room.”
With Jamie pointing out that if it ‘ever did get leaked’ then ‘all eyes’ would be on Amanda due to their friendship, she admitted that she and Alan ‘have got the biggest gobs in show business and can't keep any secrets’.
“And he just kept looking at me going, 'I can't believe it, I can't believe it.' What was really sad is he's been so busy, it's like Christmas for him this year. And to see his little face, he was in tears, shaking. He got up onto the stage, his glasses were all steamed up. My instinct is always to take them off and clean them, which I always do whenever I'm with him, wherever we are. But I was in a black lace dress, there was nowhere for me to do it. So, I had to just leave him. And the funny thing about it was Paloma, who's brilliant, sang, you know, we sang together, and she had this genius idea of her entrance was to arrive in a coffin. He was brought on the stage by pallbearers who were some of the cast of Traitors, and then we sang 'I Know Him So Well',” she said.
Amanda continued: “And I really enjoyed the whole thing. And the NTAs, it was a really fun night. I haven't been for years and years, so it was nice to catch up with people.”
