Stephen Fry wins special TV Award and Ant and Dec win again

Actor, writer and comedian Stephen Fry has been presented with the special recognition prize at this year's National Television Awards in London.

Earlier on in the evening, the star was also given the best documentary gong for Stephen Fry: In America.

Ant and Dec were named winners of the most popular entertainment presenter prize at the awards for the ninth year in a row.

The duo also won best entertainment show for Saturday Night Takeaway.

Collecting his prize on stage, Fry said: "I really am completely staggered by this, I had no idea this was going to happen.

" I have the highest possible belief in television at its best. I think of it as the nation's fireplace, about which we can gather together and be lit by its light and warmed by its heat.

"It can make us feel better about each other. And it can make us feel better about ourselves."

BBC One show Doctor Who took the prize for best drama for the fifth time and Gavin and Stacey won most popular comedy programme.

Lacey Turner, who plays Stacey Branning in EastEnders, took best serial drama performance.

Coronation Street's Craig Gazey was awarded the prize for best newcomer.

The actor, who plays comedy character Graham Proctor in the ITV soap, dedicated his award to the late Maggie Jones, who played Blanche Hunt.

Ant and Dec said they could not believe they had won again . "I've got to dedicate this to the very great, only just late, Maggie Jones. She was such an inspiration because she was amazing right to the end. The woman just got better and better," he said.

The most popular factual programme went to daytime TV show Loose Women.

Tess Daly and Dannii Minogue presented Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly with their award.

"Commiserations to everybody who works on I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! We were up against ourselves, which was kind of weird," McPartlin said.

"This is such a surprise. We really didn't expect this, even though we were nominated in one category," Donnelly added.

Simon Cowell and Cheryl Cole, who were the last people to arrive, drew the biggest cheer from the waiting crowd.

Cowell's shows, Britain's Got Talent and the X Factor, have both been nominated in the most popular talent show category.

When asked why he thought both programmes were so popular, he said: "We put a lot of money into the show, a lot of time and we got lucky."

The awards have been decided by public phone vote.