Great British Bake Off takes major prize in National Television Awards

The Great British Bake Off has won the first big award of the night at the National Television Awards (NTAs).

The popular BBC show won the best challenge award, beating the likes of Bear Grylls' Mission Survive and The Apprentice.

Accepting the award, Bake Off judge Paul Hollywood said: "A huge thank you ... in fact we all started crying again down on the row."

Fellow judge Mary Berry interjected adding that it felt "strange" not to have the show's co-hosts, Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins, there with them.

Before the award ceremony, shown live on ITV, kicked off, stars walked the red carpet in their most glamorous outfits.

Good Morning Britain's Susanna Reid commented on the Oscars race row saying it is "ludicrous".

She was on the red carpet with her new co-host Piers Morgan.

She said she thought it was a "real shame" for those who are nominated, because "all of a sudden it's overshadowed by a row".

The Academy has been subject to criticism and calls for a boycott over its all-white line-up of acting nominees, with its president, Cheryl Boone Isaacs, now pledging "big changes" to bring about "much-needed diversity".

Asked if she thought Morgan would ever follow in her footsteps and do BBC dancing show Strictly Come Dancing, she quipped: "I think you'd have to pay Piers beyond the BBC budget to do Strictly."

Former Strictly Come Dancing judge Arlene Phillips admitted she was backing X Factor boss Simon Cowell.

Dancing star Phillips said she had a "real soft spot" for Cowell as she spoke ahead of the big ceremony.

She also commented on the latest series of Celebrity Big Brother, saying she thought it was "like a human experiment to see how far people can go".

Former Liberty X singer Michelle Heaton said she hoped that morning TV presenter Rylan Clark took home the best entertainment presenter award.

TV duo Ant and Dec have won the award for more than 10 years in a row, but Heaton said she was backing Clark.

The Voice's newest addition to the judging panel, singer Boy George, said he would be paying tribute to David Bowie by "just playing his records."

Bowie died aged 69 just two days after the release of his final album in early January.

George said: "I've been a fan for over 30 years, I've always bought his music and supported him, I'll just carry on playing his records and loving him as I always have done."

The Culture Club front man said he was "just being himself" on The Voice, adding: "I've found that if you are yourself people respond really well to it, that's it, there's no secret."

Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes said that now the show had ended, he had no concerns about "topping it" in his career.

He said: "I don't think you can think like that, you just keep moving forward and doing your best and either it rings the bell or it doesn't."