LEWIS Capaldi beat off fierce competition to take home a top gong at the National Television Awards tonight.
The Hold Me While You Wait singer, 26, was honoured for his captivating Netflix documentary titled How I’m Feeling Now.
The superstar, from Bathgate, West Lothian, won Most Popular Authored Documentary at the star-studded event.
Lewis, who is currently on a break from touring due to his health, couldn’t attend the event.
However, he beamed in a recorded message that was played out after the announcement.
He said: “Thank you so so much, it genuinely means the world, so so thank you so much for voting. I’m sorry I can’t be there tonight.”
Lewis was up against Deborah James and her documentary Bowelbabe in Her Own Words as well as Matt Willis with his Fighting Addiction film and Rob Burrow’s Living with MND.
How I’m Feeling Now charts Lewis’ rise to worldwide fame before being crushed by the weight of expectation that leaves him feeling like “he’s going to die” from anxiety attacks.
The Netflix special follows the songwriter from a teenage pub singer to playing to sold-out stadium gigs.
It also shows him enjoying his pop star fame – including a one-night stand – to the shock of his Tourette’s diagnosis last September.
The harrowing documentary explores difficult times for the singer, including the moment when the pressure to write a follow-up hit to his 10million selling album Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent comes to a head.
It happened during a gig at Wembley Arena in March 2020 when Lewis was forced to stop singing mid-song due to his increasingly crippling tics and flicks.
But it also shows happier times from his humble beginnings with his family, to revisiting his hometown and even falling in love.
It shows his family’s reactions after he went public with his actress girlfriend Ellie MacDowall at the Brit Awards earlier this year.
Fans flocked to social media to congratulate Lewis on his latest achievement.
One person said: “Yes @LewisCapaldi!!! So so happy this bloke has won an NTA. Absolute icon. I couldn’t respect him anymore if I tried.”
Another added: “Delighted that @LewisCapaldi got an @OfficialNTAs !!! Particularly poignant as he’s had to take time off to deal with the struggles he highlighted which has resonated with the many!”
Someone else wrote: “Nice one @LewisCapaldi your documentary and your openness and honesty will have helped so many people”.
A fourth posted: “Congrats to @LewisCapaldi on the #NTAs award for your documentary. It was inciteful, honest and truly deserved”.
While a fifth chimed in: “Awww, congrats to @LewisCapaldi! And lovely speech.”
Lewis recently revealed he was taking a break from touring for “the foreseeable future” as he struggles to come to terms with his Tourette’s.
Following his performance at Glastonbury, Lewis said he was going to take time out after he struggled to sing on the Pyramid stage due to his tics.
And the musical world instantly supported him in his decision to step away from the limelight to recover physically and mentally.
Close friend Niall Horan said at the time: “I speak to Lewis most days to be honest with you.
“So I’m really happy for Lewis that he’s able to take the time that he obviously feels he needs right now.
“But performing never gets easy. I don’t think you ever truly get used to singing in front of 100,000 people.
“If you have any sort of performance anxieties or anything like that then that stage can be a tough place.”
Niall’s support was echoed by stars from across the entertainment industry.
Rapper Professor Green said: “Sending all the love mate. As tough as time out is – as someone who’s had to take my fair share of it – there’s no reward like getting on top of your health bro, no one’s going anywhere. All the best.”
Scotland captain Andy Robertson, and Man City star Jack Grealish, posted messages of support as the pair posted love hearts in solidarity.
Radio 1 breakfast host, Greg James said: “You’re brilliant. Very courageous to admit something like this. Everyone is quite clearly behind you all the way.”
