Tom Parker posthumously nominated for National Television Award for cancer film
By Naomi Clarke, PA Entertainment Reporter
The Wanted’s Tom Parker has been posthumously shortlisted for a National Television Award for a documentary about the charity concert in aid of cancer research he organised six months before his death.
The singer died in a hospice near his south-east London home on March 30 from an inoperable brain tumour at the age of 33.
After his diagnosis, Parker campaigned for brain tumour awareness and organised a star-studded concert, called Inside My Head, at the Royal Albert Hall last September which raised money for Stand Up To Cancer and The National Brain Appeal.
The Channel 4 documentary of the same name captured Parker arranging the event alongside footage of him and his family learning to live with his illness.
He will go up against Kate Garraway, who won the authored documentary category last year for a programme about her family’s life after her husband, former political adviser Derek Draper, spent a year in hospital being treated for coronavirus.
Authored Documentary.. Such an important award! A huge congratulations to Kate Garraway, truly deserved! #NTAs pic.twitter.com/Gc7iVSIZWi
— National TV Awards (@OfficialNTAs) September 9, 2021
The Good Morning Britain presenter has been shortlisted this year for her follow-up programme, Caring for Derek, where Draper and Garraway share insight into their family lives as he continues to battle long-term effects from the virus.
Also nominated in the category is Katie Price: What Harvey Did Next; Julia Bradbury: Breast Cancer And Me; and Paddy and Christine McGuinness: Our Family And Autism.
LGBTQ+ teen series Heartstopper, which launched on Netflix in April, has been shortlisted for the new drama prize alongside prison drama Time, crime thriller Trigger Point and medical memoir This Is Going To Hurt.
Heartstopper’s lead actors, Joe Locke, who played Charlie Spring, and Kit Connor, who portrayed Nick Nelson, have both been nominated for the rising star award.
They will compete against Charithra Chandran, who played Edwina Sharma in the second series of Bridgerton, and Paddy Bever, who stars as Max Turner in Coronation Street.
Bridgerton, Call The Midwife, Peaky Blinders and The Split are all in the running for the returning drama category.
Netflix’s Regency romp Bridgerton has another nomination, with Jonathan Bailey, who plays Anthony Bridgerton, in the running for best drama performance alongside Cillian Murphy for his role as Thomas Shelby in Peaky Blinders, Nicola Walker for Hannah in The Split and Vicky McClure for Lana Washington in Trigger Point.
Derry Girls, Sex Education, After Life and Not Going Out have all been shortlisted for the comedy show prize, while in the talent show category Britain’s Got Talent is listed alongside RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, Strictly Come Dancing and The Masked Singer.
Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly will attempt to hold on to their best TV presenter trophy for another year but face competition from Alison Hammond, Bradley Walsh and Graham Norton. Ant and Dec have won the category for the past 20 years.
Meanwhile, Neighbours, which aired its final episode last month after 37 years on screen, will battle Coronation Street, EastEnders and Emmerdale for the best serial drama award.
The 27th National Television Awards will be hosted by comedian and presenter Joel Dommett at London’s OVO Arena Wembley on September 15th, with the results to be announced live on ITV.
