Last night’s National Television Awards were a triumph, with many long-serving stars of the small screen awarded for their work.
But at one point, an intruder stormed proceedings, leading to chaos on the stage.
As has been the case since 2010, Dermot O’Leary was hosting the show, but this would have been a test of even his great experience.
In scenes not broadcast, presenting legends Ant and Dec were about to receive the new Bruce Forsyth Entertainment Award, when an individual burst into frame.
He was wearing a pirate’s cap and an eye patch, and holding a piece of paper.
He was also wearing a t-shirt with ‘AC Activism’ on the chest, suggesting he was connected to Dr ACactivism – a self-proclaimed ‘intellectual rebel and activist’.
As Wilnelia Forsyth – Bruce’s widow – was about to announce Ant and Dec as winners, the invader ran up.
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But Dermot was quick to step into the action, and hustled the man off the stage without any delay.
He tried to speak to Dermot but the host wouldn’t let him anywhere near the microphone.
It’s thought the intruder was the very same one who’d stormed the final of The Voice back in April 2017.
Then, the stage invader ran onto the platform as Jamie Miller was exiting the show, just moments before Mo Adeniran was announced as the series winner.
But seasoned professional Emma Willis intercepted, and enveloped Jamie in a hug before the man could get near him.
And moments later, he was bundled off stage by security.
Later in an interview, the invader said he had just wanted to get onto the stage to ‘express ideas’ but hadn’t been able to.
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Last night after finally picking up their award, Ant said: “Thank you very much, it’s an honour to pick this award up and we started filming Saturday Night Takeaway today, and we filmed a tribute to Bruce so this is very apt.”