Sarah Lancashire

ITV's This Morning has been nominated for best daytime show at The National Television Awards (NTAs), following the controversy around Phillip Schofield .

Schofield stood down as presenter after 20 years in May, after admitting he had had An Affair with a much younger male colleague and lied to cover it up.

His longstanding co-presenter Holly Willoughby has continued to host The Show with a string of co-stars.

Last week MPs asked ITV bosses to address claims of a toxic culture.

ITV said it took complaints seriously, but that it could not act unless such allegations were made directly.

Executives previously defended The Network 's duty of care to staff after the furore that surrounded Schofield's affair.

Despite the controversy, This Morning will now defend its title in the NTA daytime category against The Chase , Loose Women and The Repair Shop, it was revealed on Tuesday.

But both Schofield and, perhaps more notably Willoughby, have been overlooked for best presenter at this year's upcoming awards, having made The Initial longlist.

Schofield recently revealed he believes his career is now over following The Affair which he apologised for, calling it his " biggest, sorriest secret".

Two of his recent rotating replacements, Alison Hammond and Martin Lewis , did make The Shortlist list for The Best presenter award.

The Winners , like The Shortlist , are decided by The Public and will be announced at a ceremony hosted by Joel Dommett at London's O2 Arena on 5 September.

The Traitors host Claudia Winkleman and The Chase 's Bradley Walsh are also in the running for best presenter, but that particular prize is traditionally reserved for fellow nominees Ant and Dec - or at least it has been for The Past 21 [yes, twenty-one] years.

Two shows presented by the Geordie Duo - I'm A Celebrity . . Get Me Out Of Here! and Saturday Night Takeaway - are listed for the Bruce Forsyth entertainment award, up against Gogglebox and The Masked Singer.

Best Talent Show will be contested by Britain's Got Talent, Strictly Come Dancing and The Great British Bake Off, as well as The Great British Sewing Bee.

Elsewhere, Dame Deborah James and Paul O 'Grady have been posthumously recognised.

Dame Deborah, who died Last Year at 40 of bowel cancer, is recognised in the authored documentary category for; while presenter and comedian O'Grady, who, is nominated in the factual entertainment category. for his show, For The Love Of Dogs.

The Bbc drama Happy Valley is nominated for several awards including best returning drama, while two of its stars, James Norton and Sarah Lancashire , will go head-to-head in The Best drama performance category.

Source of news: bbc.com