Winning a Bafta rendered Joel Dommett speechless on stage for the first time ever – but he promises he’s got all his quips lined up when he returns to host the 28th National Television Awards this month.
While presenting in front of a live audience might be daunting for some, Joel, who’s been a stand-up for 16 years, is used to the adrenaline rush.
“It is kind of daunting, but in a weird way there’s something so beautiful about it,” says Joel. “It’s happening, it’s there, and then you’ve just got to do it. If it was pre-recorded it would take twice as long to do. Everyone in the room would be twice as bored. Everything that happens gets seen – that’s why it creates these wonderful moments.”
And there have been plenty of memorable moments during Joel’s previous two years as host, from Line Of Duty star Tommy Jessop pulling out the dance moves on stage, to Joel helping out Corrie ’s Jude Riordan, who couldn’t reach the microphone after winning Best Newcomer.
“I really love it because there’s all this beautiful madness that’s happening on the floor and all these people winning,” explains Joel, 38.
“A lot of my job is about presenting the show, but also a lot of is about shepherding. You get a show like Strictly winning and suddenly there’s 40 people on stage who are very excited, some of them drunk. You’ve got to present a live TV show, but also you’ve got to somehow shepherd Anton Du Beke off stage. It’s like a combination of farming and showbiz. Hopefully it looks fairly relaxed when you watch on TV, but in my ear there’s absolute havoc happening. I’m just trying to show pure calm in my eyes.”
While Joel hasn’t yet scooped up an NTA for himself, The Masked Singer did win a BAFTA in May and as the host, Joel went on stage to accept the award.
“At the BAFTAs I said, ‘Well we’re not going to win, Strictly ’s nominated,’” he admits. “So I didn’t even think about it. And then I heard them say ‘ Masked Singer ’ and I went up on stage, and I said nothing. All I could focus on was that Kate Winslet was sitting in the front row looking at me. So I feel like I understand the winners of the NTAs more because I’ve at least stood there now and I get it.”
Who does Joel hope will win an award this year?
“I think The Masked Singer almost certainly deserves an award. We put a lot of hard effort into that show, please vote for that – although of course I am impartial,” he laughs. “I like the fact there’s a new category, TV Interview – that’s really exciting. We’ve been missing that over the past few years. You’ve got Louis Theroux, Graham Norton, Piers Morgan and Chris and Rosie Ramsey
as the nominees.
“It’s really lovely to see some streamer shows in there. You’ve got Queen Charlotte and Wednesday, which me and my wife absolutely adored.”
Speaking of Joel’s wife, Hannah Cooper, it’s no secret that the two of them are expecting their first child very soon. Hannah, 32, usually accompanies Joel on the red carpet, but she might
need to sit this one out.
“She’s so pregnant – we’re going to play it by ear,” says Joel. “Hannah’s got a space but where that space will be, I don’t know. I don’t know whether she’ll be wanting to stay in the dressing room or whether she’ll be wanting to sit in the audience, we’ll see.
“That’s kind of the best thing about it – the birth is taking up all of my nerves so hopefully I’ll take the NTAs in my stride because I’m not thinking too much about it. But Hannah will be there in some capacity, whether it’s in a seat in the dressing room or in my heart.”
One special moment for Joel came during last year’s NTAs when Line Of Duty won an award and he came face to face with Adrian Dunbar.
“I did a play about 20 years ago with Adrian,” explains Joel. “I was just a kid and he took a punt on me doing that show. I hadn’t seen him since.
“Then Line Of Duty became huge and won – it felt like this amazing moment where we had gone full circle. He said, ‘Joel, we haven’t seen each other for so long – it’s so good to see you doing so well.’ That meant a lot to me.”
The National Television Awards airs on Tuesday 5th September, 8pm, ITV1
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