NTAs 2021: Line of Duty's Martin Compston teases another series of the show

NTAs 2021: Line of Duty’s Martin Compston teases another series of the show while producer Simon Heath reveals he wouldn’t change anything about THAT controversial ‘H’ unveiling

By Callum Wells and Millie Payne For Mailonline

Published: 23:57 BST, 9 September 2021 | Updated: 00:20 BST, 10 September 2021

Line Of Duty had a very successful night at the National Television Awards on Thursday night, bagging two awards – Special Recognition and Best Returning Drama.

And Martin Compston teased a further series of the show as he celebrated after the wins.

The Steve Arnott actor said: ‘Jed Mercurio [the director and creator] will only come back if he believes there’s a story to tell. The show gets bigger as the audience gets bigger.

NTAs 2021: Martin Compston teased a further series of Line of Duty as he celebrated after the wins

‘Jed Mercurio does everything for a reason. You all want us all back don’t you?’ he teased.

After the explosive sixth series saw criminal mastermind ‘H’ unveiled as DSU Ian Buckells (played by Nigel Boyle), Nigel said: ‘People still keep calling me H. I get it playing golf, walking down the street. It’s been a bit different.

Executive producer Simon Heath also added: ‘We wouldn’t change a word of the ending. There’s something interesting about a buffoon hiding in plain sight.’

Joy: Martin Compston, who takes on the role of Steve Arnott in the gripping drama, neither confirmed nor ruled out an additional series

Success: Of the controversial ending, executive producer Simon Heath (right) said: ‘We wouldn’t change a word. There’s something interesting about a buffoon hiding in plain sight’

Both Jed Mercurio and Vicky McClure – who plays Kate Fleming – couldn’t attend the ceremony due to prior filming commitments.

Yay! Line Of Duty had a very successful night and bagged two awards – Special Recognition and Best Returning Drama

But both took to their social media platforms to express their gratitude to fans of the show.

Jed penned on Twitter: ‘Thanks so much to all our fabulous fans who voted for #LineofDuty at the National TV Awards. We’re honoured to have been included alongside such outstanding nominees.

‘Sadly ⁦@Vicky_McClure⁩ and I are filming and couldn’t be there to celebrate with our brilliant AC-12 mates.’

To her 650,000 Instagram followers, Vicky wrote: ‘ [sic] THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! LOD fans, you truly are the best of the best!! ♥️ @mrmartincompston have a few for me mate! @officialntas @bbclineofduty’.

Unable to be there: Director Jed Mercurio and Vicky McClure – Kate Fleming – couldn’t attend the ceremony due to prior filming commitments

She said in a heartfelt video: ‘Hello there, I thought I had better do a little video just to say – oh my god thank you so much. Sadly not a glamour NTA moment here but gutted I couldn’t be there. Absolutely gutted.

‘So blessed and so grateful to everybody who voted for the show – and everyone who voted for us in the acting category, you know we saw that you were all voting and it was so, so beautiful of you all to do that.

‘And David Tennant is an absolute legend so I’m so chuffed for him. The Special Recognition award, I’ve just watched the montage back and it made me quite emotional.

‘It’s been a long time and we’ve been through a lot together. And just… having my moment now to say thank you because I wasn’t there… so yeah. Don’t know what else to say cos I’m so tired! Can you tell?

‘Anyway, massive love, see you all soon. And as Martin said, here’s hoping we’ll be back!’

Thankful: Both Jed and Vicky took to their social media platforms to express their gratitude to fans of the show

The award for Best Returning Drama was the show’s first NTA – and all eyes were on actor Tommy Jessop who played Terry Boyle in series five and six.

While the cast and crew took to the stage to accept the gong, Tommy, 36, sashayed his way up the steps, showing off some moves, with the crowd going wild for it.

Once on stage, Tommy continued to dance, swinging his hips and striking a muscle man pose on the ground, as the rest of the cast and crew watched on delightedly.

Busting a move: The award for Best Returning Drama was the show’s first NTA – and all eyes were on actor Tommy Jessop who played Terry Boyle in series five and six

NATIONAL TELEVISION AWARDS 2021: THE WINNERS

Challenge Show

Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins

Love Island

WINNER: The Great British Bake Off

The Great British Sewing Bee

New Drama

Bridgerton

Des

WINNER: It’s A Sin

Normal People

Talent Show

Britain’s Got Talent

RuPaul’s Drag Race UK

WINNER: Strictly Come Dancing

The Masked Singer

Tasty! Bake Off won the Challenge Show prize

Authored Documentary

WINNER: 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

Touching: The Authored Documentary winner was Kate Garraway: Finding Derek

Returning Drama

Call the Midwife

WINNER: Line of Duty

The Crown

Unforgotten

TV Presenter

Alison Hammond

WINNER: Ant and Dec

Bradley Walsh

Holly Willoughby

Piers Morgan

Factual

Caroline Flack: Her Life and Death

WINNER: Gogglebox

Gordon, Gino and Fred: American Road Trip

Paul O’Grady: For the Love of Dogs

Drama Performance

Adrian Dunbar, Ted Hastings, Line of Duty

WINNER: David Tennant, Dennis Nilsen, Des

Martin Compston, Steve Arnott, Line of Duty

Olly Alexander, Ritchie Tozer, It’s A Sin

Vicky McClure, Kate Fleming, Line of Duty

The Bruce Forsyth Entertainment Award

Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway

WINNER: I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!

Taskmaster

The Graham Norton Show

You lose some, you win some! Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway was up for a prize, but the duo’s other show, I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! scooped the gong

Serial Drama

WINNER: Coronation Street

EastEnders

Emmerdale

Hollyoaks

Serial Drama Performance

Billy Price, Sid Sumner, Hollyoaks

Danny Dyer, Mick Carter, EastEnders

WINNER: Mollie Gallagher, Nina Lucas, Coronation Street

Sally Carman, Abi Franklin, Coronation Street

Quiz Game Show

WINNER: Beat The Chasers