National Television Awards viewers spot ‘jumpscare’ as Coronation Street winner blunder

Corrie’s Peter Ash who picked up silverware for his portrayal of Paul Foreman in the Serial Drama Performance category

National Television Awards viewers were left questioning a ‘jumpscare’ as they suggested a win from within the Coronation Street camp was ‘revealed early’.

It was a star-studded night on Wednesday (September 11) as the biggest stars on TV headed to London’s 02 Arena for the annual awards bash where big winners included Strictly Come Dancing, Ant and Dec and Davina McCall who was in tears as she was given the Special Recognition gong.

But among our homegrown winners was Coronation Street star Peter Ash who picked up silverware for his portrayal of Paul Foreman in the Serial Drama Performance category.

He faced stiff competition from fellow soap stars Eden Taylor-Draper, who plays Emmerdale’s Belle King, and EastEnders’ Yolande Trueman actress Angela Wynter, EastEnders Denise Fox star Diane Paris as well as Corrie co-star David Neilson, famed for playing Roy Cropper in the ITV soap.

As he collected the awards, Peter said it was an “amazing way” to end his time on the soap opera. His heartbreaking exit storyline saw his character Paul’s health deteriorate as he battled with motor neurone disease (MND), before dying from the disease in tear-jerking scenes this week.

He said: “This is honestly incredible – what an amazing way to end my six years on Coronation Street.” He also thanked the Corrie team and the charities which supported him, paying special tributes to on-screen mum Jane Hazlegrove, who plays Bernie Winter, and Daniel Brocklebank, who played his on-screen husband Billy Mayhew.

**Peter with his National Television Award** (Image: Getty Images for the NTA’s)

But ahead of Peter picking up the much-deserved gong, some think his win was already revealed in a ‘jumpscare’ moment during the previous award for Reality Competition. As the nominations were being read out for that category by Selling Sunset stars Mary Bonnet and Chelsea Lazkani, a photo of Peter Ash as Paul erroneously popped up on-screen.

And it didn’t take those tuning into the ceremony on ITV to notice. One said: “Did anyone else see a random picture of Billy and Paul pop up #NTA.” Another asked: “Why did Billy and Paul just randomly come up on my telly when watching the NTA #NTAs.” A third shared: “Wtf was the random Billy and Paul from Corrie still just then #NTA.”

Another commented: “Not the Paul jumpscare #NTAs.” A sixth added: “#NTAs did anyone see that jumpscare from Billy and Paul.”