Wife of tragic Irwin honours wildlife legend at TV awards

The wife of the late wildlife presenter Steve Irwin paid an emotional tribute to Sir David Attenborough at Britain’s TV Oscars.

Terri Irwin fought back tears as Sir David received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the National Television Awards (NTA) last night.

Mrs Irwin said that Sir David had inspired her larger-than-life husband “Crocodile Hunter” Steve, who was killed by a stingray in September.

Meanwhile Doctor Who showed no sign of losing its magic touch after scooping a clutch of awards winning Most Popular Drama, Most Popular Actress for Billy Piper and Most Popular Actor for the show’s Scottish star David Tennant.

Other winners included motoring show Top Gear, whose star Richard Hammond is recovering from an accident which took place while filming for the series, for Most Popular Factual Programme.

Noel Edmonds won his first NTA for his comeback Channel 4 show Deal Or No Deal, although the star could not attend as he was on holiday.

Channel 4 show Big Brother won the Reality Title for the third consecutive year beating the Apprentice and I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!

Another BBC hit, Little Britain, won Most Popular Programme for the third year, beating the Catherine Tate Show, Will and Grace and My Family.

Meanwhile Little Britain star David Walliams also took a special recognition award for his charity swim across the Channel while EastEnders won the gong for the second year running for Most Popular Serial Drama beating Coronation Street.

Ant and Dec won Most Popular Entertainment Presenter, repeating their success of the past five years.

A shocked-looking Tennant said after receiving his Most Popular Actor award: “I think if my eight-year-old self could see me at the Royal Albert Hall winning a prize for playing the doctor on telly, he would need a stiff shot of Irn-Bru.”

Davina McCall, picking up the Reality award for Big Brother joked about her chat show flop: “After my turkey earlier this year, it’s nice to come back to the golden goose.”

She arrived on stage with one of the show’s stars, Nikki Grahame, and as the pair were both wearing the same green-coloured top, McCall joked: “I’m just wearing the maternity version of hers. This programme is still controversial but even through that controversy, we still love watching it.”

Nikki looked shocked when she was announced as the winner of the best new TV contender award she said: “I’m absolutely chuffed. I can’t believe it. Am I shaking?”

The reality TV star arrived at the ceremony with her former lover Big Brother star Pete Bennett and received her award from fallen star Michael Barrymore.

Jeremy Clarkson and his co-presenter James May picked up Top Gear’s award.

Clarkson joked: “I told you if one of us has a car accident we would win this.”

Backstage he added: “I have had a text from him. He wrote: ’Break a leg, in fact I hope you break both bloody legs’.”




Simon Cowell was uncharacteristically nice when he got up on the stage to take the X Factor award for Top Entertainment Programme, bringing former contestant Chico from the audience.

The judge added: “There’s only one award that’s worth winning. That is the one where the public votes.”

But the most emotional note of the evening came when Terri Irwin paid tribute to Sir David Attenborough.

She said: “I am especially pleased to be here, because if there’s one person who directly inspired my husband it’s the person being honoured tonight.”

She added: “Of course, as a television wildlife presenter, Steve was larger than life, but his real, true love was conservation – and the influence of tonight’s recipient in preserving the natural world has been immense.

“He understands the creatures we share the world with and has spent a lifetime reminding us that those creatures rely on us to protect their future.

“He was an inspiration to Steve and remains an inspiration to all of us who cherish ’life on earth’.”

The Duke of Edinburgh sent a video message of congratulations to the veteran presenter, saying: “It’s difficult to exaggerate the whole contribution Sir David Attenborough has made to our understanding of life on earth.”

On stage, Sir David said: “This world here seems a very different world from the penguins, the gorillas, the polar bears and birds of paradise.

“But it’s they that have brought me here. It’s the fact that you care for them that has brought me this.”

Backstage he paid tribute to Irwin for introducing millions of people to nature and said it was up to people to put pressure on MPs to take steps to protect the environment.