Bosses promised Robbie award to Ant and Dec Be the first reader to comment on this story

British Comedy Awards organisers promised Robbie Williams he could present an award to Ant and Dec to guarantee his attendance, before the duo were wrongly given an award voted for by the public. The disclosure came in findings, published Thursday, on the 2005 awards broadcast on ITV. The independent report by Olswang states Robbie was invited to present. To guarantee his attendance, Robbie was told he could present a gong to Ant and Dec even though they hadn’t won any of the awards determined by the jury.

The only award they could’ve gone onto win was the People’s Choice Award, but this was dependent on a public vote. In the event, their Saturday Night Takeaway was announced as winner of the People’s Choice Award, when the actual winner should’ve been The Catherine Tate Show. The report says: “Robbie Williams was invited to present an award. It was understood that he would be happy to present an award if the recipients were Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly. In order to ensure his attendance, this assurance was given, albeit at a time when the winners of all the jury awards had been decided and Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly had not been selected.

“As such it was an assurance that could not legitimately have been guaranteed, as the only award still to be decided was the People’s Choice Award, the winner of which was then unknown and dependent upon the public vote.” It says it can be concluded “the assurance was given to ensure Robbie Williams’ attendance to present an award” but “cannot be concluded that this was the reason why the wrong winner of the People’s Choice Award was announced”. There’s no suggestion Robbie, Ant or Dec were aware of the issues. A spokesman for Ant and Dec said they’d be returning their award. A source said they’re “really appalled”. (source: thisisnottingham.co.uk)

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